Features
Martin Lidegaard: fighting climate change from Scandinavia
Published
7 years agoon
By
Contributor
Next up in our series profiling green-minded politicians from around the world, and following Marina Silva and Haïdar El Ali, is Martin Lidegaard, Danish minister for climate, energy and building. Charlie Wood writes.
Coming from a family of writers, Martin Lidegaard was always likely to make his mark in the world of academia, and environmental activists everywhere may one day be truly thankful for his efforts in combating climate change.
Following a stint in local government during his 20s, Lidegaard was elected to the Danish parliament in 2001 as a Liberal Party MP, and was appointed spokesman for the environment and climate change. He lost his seat in 2007, and used the time outside parliament co-founding the CONCITO green thinktank, which was to become an important influence on green politics in a country at the forefront of sustainability in Europe, and a laboratory for formulating the policies he is now working to implement.
Lidegaard was re-elected in October 2011 and has been in his current post ever since. He is currently attempting to meet “arguably the most ambitious” greenhouse gas emissions reduction target in the EU – 40% by 2020 (relative to 1990 levels).
This is clearly an immense task, but the policy has many things working in its favour: there is cross-party support in Danish politics for this kind of energy settlement, and by the start of this year the minister claimed that Denmark was on course to achieve 34% in reductions as a result of legislation and implementation already agreed.
It would seem foolish to bet against them achieving the extra 6% as, in Lidegaard, they have a politician who is not only amiable and capable of ‘selling’ these polices, but is also wonkish enough to trawl through detail, both at a national and European level, in order to push through reforms and maintain momentum.
In a 2012 article for TheParliament.com, during Denmark’s presidency of the EU, Lidegaard remarked on the vital but unsexy proposal from the European commission to increase minimum standards for energy efficiency in water pumps under ecodesign legislation.
Such initiatives, he said, were “key [elements] in securing Europe’s energy, as well as economic, future”, but he also stated that this was “not your average headline grabbing news item. Maybe it should be”.
It is this kind of sustainable thinking that marks Lidegaard out as a radical environmental reformer (as counter-intuitive as that sounds, as this is mostly common sense), and the model used in Denmark will be closely watched.
Many will expect failure, but if it works it could become the EU model for combating high emissions and approaching the challenges of climate change.
Not many politicians are willing to stake their careers on an agenda like this, and there is surely an easier life out there for Lidegaard, who is also a very talented writer.
That is what makes him fascinating, and worth keeping an eye on.
Charlie Wood is a 30-year-old recent graduate of English literature at Leeds Metropolitan University, from Fleetwood, Lancashire, and West Cork, Ireland. He intends to pursue a career in politics and writing.
Further reading:
We can learn a lot about clean energy from Scandinavian nations
The Scandinavian nations setting the green energy pace
Haïdar El Ali: leading Africa’s green political charge
Marina Silva: the rubber tapper who wants a sustainable future
You may like
-
Which Type Of Renewable Energy Should Be Developed In The Future?
-
3 Tips for Building an Off-Grid Home in 2019
-
Household Energy Independence is the First Step to Sustainable Living
-
Top 7 New Energy Trends Dominating 2019
-
U.S. Emissions Targets For 2020 Are Being Achieved Ahead Of Schedule
-
The Advantages and Disadvantages Of Residential Wind Turbines

Will Eco-Friendly Hunting Be The Biggest Trend of 2020?

How To Plan An Eco-Friendly Interstate Move?

Truth About The Shocking Environmental Impact Of Bitcoin Mining

Why Eco-Friendly Homeowners Should Make Smart Thermostat Upgrades

6 Awesome Reasons Eco-Friendly Consumers Use Smart Thermostats

How To Stay Eco-Friendly On Instagram While Traveling

Help Save The Planet With The Best Energy Efficient HVAC Systems

5 Simple Steps To Build Sustainable Shipping Containers

Valve Actuators: Underappreciated Sustainable Living Tools For 2020

Green Energy Safety Risks That People Don’t Know About

Help Save The Planet With The Best Energy Efficient HVAC Systems

Truth About The Shocking Environmental Impact Of Bitcoin Mining

Why Eco-Friendly Homeowners Should Make Smart Thermostat Upgrades

5 Simple Steps To Build Sustainable Shipping Containers

Valve Actuators: Underappreciated Sustainable Living Tools For 2020

How To Stay Eco-Friendly On Instagram While Traveling

6 Awesome Reasons Eco-Friendly Consumers Use Smart Thermostats

How To Plan An Eco-Friendly Interstate Move?

Will Eco-Friendly Hunting Be The Biggest Trend of 2020?
Trending
- Energy6 days ago
Help Save The Planet With The Best Energy Efficient HVAC Systems
- Environment4 days ago
Truth About The Shocking Environmental Impact Of Bitcoin Mining
- Economy4 days ago
Why Eco-Friendly Homeowners Should Make Smart Thermostat Upgrades
- Sustainability6 days ago
5 Simple Steps To Build Sustainable Shipping Containers