Denmark Plans Major Farmland Conversion Initiative

Denmark has announced a significant environmental initiative to convert 15% of its farmland into forests and natural habitats over the next two decades, aiming to combat the detrimental effects of excessive fertilizer use that has led to severe oxygen depletion in its waters. The government has allocated 43 billion Danish crowns ($6.1 billion) for land acquisition from farmers, with plans to plant one billion trees as part of this effort. This initiative also marks Denmark as the first country to implement a carbon tax specifically targeting the agricultural sector. Lawmakers emphasize that this is the most substantial change to the Danish landscape in over a century, with the project expected to support a legally binding target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels by 2030. The Green Tripartite Ministry, established to oversee the agreement, highlights the urgency of addressing the environmental crisis linked to agricultural practices. Reports indicate that low oxygen levels in Danish waters have been exacerbated by nutrient runoff from intensively farmed land.