Phasing out oil and gas boilers in favor of heat pumps and district heating. Energy retrofitting and better utilization of existing buildings. Expanding renewable energy through the deployment of solar panels and wind turbines. Increasing access to charging infrastructure, parking for electric vehicles, introducing low-emission zones in urban areas and transitioning construction machinery from diesel to electric power. Working with landowners to re-wet carbon-rich soil and plant more forests, and not least adapting cities to the effects of a rapidly changing climate.
These are just a few examples of the more than 6,500 initiatives and actions now underway to reduce CO₂ emissions and strengthen climate resilience across Denmark’s 98 municipalities.
A path towards climate neutrality
All 98 Danish municipalities have local climate action plans developed and approved according to international standards by the global city network C40. These plans chart a path towards climate neutrality before 2050, while also addressing how to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
To support this transition, Local Government Denmark (KL) and Realdania have formed a six-year partnership: The Climate Alliance. The green think tank CONCITO and the global network C40 Cities act as independent knowledge partners in the alliance.
Denmark’s municipalities have demonstrated a strong commitment to the green transition—not just individually, but collectively, through a nationwide alliance. The Climate Alliance builds on this shared ambition by capturing and mobilizing the knowledge and experience each municipality brings to the table, supporting the local implementation of climate initiatives.
A shared framework for implementation
The Climate Alliance supports municipalities in translating their plans into effective climate action – reducing greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening climate resilience across Denmark.
The work of the alliance focuses on three elements:
Implementation support: The alliance establishes three yearly thematic foci for strengthening municipal climate action. The municipalities receive direct implementation support from five cross-municipal agencies, which in turn are supported by Local Government Denmark’s climate secretariat and the knowledge partners CONCITO and C40. In addition, the organization can create specific development tracks where municipalities can jointly explore ambitious solutions to specific challenges and address barriers to implementation.
Monitoring and annual status reporting: A shared monitoring system, combined with an annual status report, identifies key challenges in implementing the climate action plans and highlights concrete actions to overcome them. The monitoring system provides data and insights on which the three yearly foci are decided by the governing body.
Evaluation and revision cycle: All municipalities receive support from the knowledge partners to the process of evaluating and updating municipal climate plans every 4–5 years. The alliance develops and maintains the Danish localization of the C40 Cities Climate Transition Framework (CCTF).
Overall, The Climate Alliance aims to strengthen knowledge sharing, build capacity, inspire new solutions, and address structural conditions and barriers limiting municipalities’ ability to drive climate action on the ground.
From DK2020 to The Climate Alliance
The Climate Alliance builds on the DK2020 partnership, launched in 2019 by Realdania in close collaboration with C40 Cities and CONCITO. Through DK2020, Danish municipalities developed climate action plans aligned with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. The Climate Alliance is anchored by Local Government Denmark (KL) and Realdania.