Danish budget throws extra €107m at environment

The ministries for environment, climate and energy and agriculture, which will be sharing the funding, described the announcement as positive news at a time when other countries are cutting their environmental spending.

It is not yet known how the funding will be distributed among the ministries but a government spokesman said some projects could benefit all three of them.

Separately, DKK376.7m will go to energy technology development programme EUDP in 2014 to maintain Denmark’s lead in this area, says the climate and energy ministry. And DKK€22m has been allocated to improving the way CO2 emissions and removals from land and forests are measured.

A special advisory unit will also receive DKK4.8m to help local authorities deal with PCB concentrations in buildings. A study published by the Danish agencies for energy and environmental protection in June revealed that the pollutant was more widespread than previously thought, particularly in schools.

Earlier this month, the climate and energy ministry released a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport, agriculture and waste. Denmark aims to cut its total emissions by 40% by 2020 relative to 1990 levels.