Climate · emissions beyond borders
Since 2017, Denmark has caused more emissions abroad than at home
Emissions from Danish consumption are falling, as long as they happen in Denmark. The emissions in factories, power plants and fields elsewhere, for goods, food and buildings, are rising. Denmark's Climate Act doesn't count them.
- The footprint of Denmark is 45–61 percent higher than official emissions according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). Exactly how much depends on the model.
- 59–62 percent of the footprint arises abroad (2022), against 46–49 percent in 2010. Since 2017 it has been more than half in every model.
- Official emissions fell by 35 percent between 2010 and 2022; the footprint only by 15–18 percent.
- Per person, Denmark causes 9.5 tonnes, more than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes (rank 8 of 27, Eurostat 2023). Between 2010 and 2019 the footprint fell by 16 percent, faster than in most EU countries; between 2019 and 2023 it fell by 10 percent, faster than in most EU countries.
- Outside Denmark, most emissions for Danish consumption are released in China, Germany and Russia.
- Denmark exports more emissions than it imports: 14–22 megatonnes net in 2022. Since 2010, what it earns from foreign demand grew by 65 percent (real); the emissions for it fell by 8 percent.
- Satellites see more methane over Denmark than the country reports: 1.3× the reported amount (2023).
In short
Emissions caused by Danish consumption and investment, by location
The official figure falls faster than the footprint
The figure in the news is emissions on Danish territory, according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). It fell by 35 percent between 2010 and 2022. The footprint fell by 15–18 percent over the same years. The official figure counts emissions for what is exported, but not for what is imported.
Denmark compared with the other EU countries
Per person, Denmark causes 9.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas (Eurostat, 2023), more than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes, rank 8 of 27.
Checked from space
Satellites measure how much methane hangs in the air. From that, scientists can work back to how much a country emits. That puts an independent measurement next to the official figures.
Where the emissions occur
For Danish consumption, most emissions abroad occur in China, followed by Germany, Russia and Poland. Pick a year or play the timeline. Click a country to see how it changed since 2010.
Who Denmark emits for
In 2022, 57–60 megatonnes of greenhouse gases were released in Denmark for consumption and investment in other countries. Meanwhile, 38–42 megatonnes were released elsewhere for Danish consumption. That makes Denmark a net exporter of emissions: 14–22 megatonnes more are released here for others than the other way round.
How we calculate
A footprint follows every euro that households, government and companies spend on final products back through the supply chain, to the country where the emissions occur. So-called input-output models do this, built on trade statistics and emission inventories from dozens of countries.