As 2025 comes to a close, Denmark confirms a trajectory that has set it apart within the European Union for decades: the ability to turn sustainability from a slogan into a true economic, industrial, and cultural driver. From fine dining to everyday food consumption, Denmark has woven environmental responsibility into the very fabric of its competitiveness. The roots of this success stretch back to the 1980s, when Denmark became the first country in the world to introduce public controls on organic farming. That early move laid the foundations for a lasting trust between consumers, producers, and institutions. Today, Denmark is the world’s leading market for per-capita consumption of organic products: nearly a quarter of all food sales are organic, and the majority of public canteens operate under certified sustainability standards. This is not just an agricultural achievement, but a deeply cultural one.
Gastronomy as a Cultural Amplifier
Food culture has played a crucial role in amplifying this shift. The Manifesto for the New Nordic Cuisine, signed in 2004 by a group of Scandinavian chefs, introduced a new culinary language rooted in seasonality, biodiversity, and respect for natural resources. Its influence quickly spread far beyond fine dining. With fewer than six million inhabitants, Denmark now boasts 37 Michelin-starred restaurants. Copenhagen, in particular, has one of the highest concentrations of Michelin Green Stars of any Northern European capital, underscoring how sustainability and gastronomy have become inseparable. At the same time, urban farming has reshaped rooftops, harbors, and neighborhoods, making food production visible and local once again.
From Vision to Policy: The Agreement on a Green Denmark
The real leap forward, however, has come at the economic and industrial level. In late 2024, the Danish Parliament approved the Agreement on a Green Denmark, a landmark policy designed to address a structural contradiction: an agricultural sector that accounts for nearly three-quarters of national food exports, yet is also responsible for a significant share of greenhouse-gas emissions and water pollution. The agreement emerged from negotiations between the government, farmers, and environmental organizations. A central role was played by the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, which represents more than 30,000 companies and 60,000 workers. Rather than acting as a defensive lobby, the Council chose to embrace transition as a source of competitiveness: value today is no longer defined by volumes alone, but by the systemic quality of supply chains.
A World-First Carbon Tax on Livestock
Starting in 2030, Denmark will introduce the world’s first tax on biological emissions from livestock. Cattle and pigs will be taxed per tonne of CO₂ equivalent produced, with rates set to double by 2035. Companies that adopt best practices will benefit from deductions, encouraging investment in methane-reduction technologies, advanced manure management, and biogas production. Crucially, the revenue generated will be reinvested directly into the sector’s green transition.
Restoring Nature at Scale
Fiscal measures are only one pillar of the strategy. Denmark has also launched one of the most ambitious land-use reconversion projects ever attempted in Europe. A public fund of more than 40 billion Danish kroner will be used to purchase marginal farmland and convert it into forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Targets include restoring 140,000 hectares of peatlands by 2030, planting 250,000 hectares of new forests by 2045, and ultimately returning at least 10% of the national territory to nature. This investment is designed not only to cut emissions, but also to strengthen climate resilience, protect water resources, and enhance long-term economic attractiveness.
Innovation and the Private Sector
Innovation is another strategic axis. Denmark aims to become a global “showroom” for green agricultural technologies, from pyrolysis systems that produce biochar to digital tools for precise emissions measurement. At the same time, permanent funding supports the plant-based sector, viewed as an industrial opportunity as much as an environmental one. The private sector is moving in lockstep. Carlsberg, a national industrial icon, has committed to sourcing 100% sustainable and regenerative raw materials by 2040, a clear signal that sustainability is now embedded in long-term corporate strategy.
A Model Under Scrutiny
What makes the Danish experiment particularly compelling is its method: a 20-year roadmap, unprecedented public investment, and continuous negotiation between competing interests. The period from 2025 to 2030 will be decisive. If the strategy holds, Denmark may offer a powerful demonstration that the ecological transition is not a brake on growth, but one of its most promising evolutions.
Read more on Agricultureandfood.dk, Mgtp.dk, Visitnordic.com
