The front-runners in the climate fight

Two key messages are repeated over and over whenever Denmark’s climate minister, Connie Hedegaard, travels around the world to promote Denmark as the host of the UN’s climate summit in Copenhagen in December; Denmark’s energy consumption has not grown for 30 years, despite an economic growth of 80 per cent. And, over a fifth of the electricity that the Danes use today comes from windmills.

Every time Hedegaard tells that story, she is met with astonished looks and applause, for both of Denmark’s achievements are unique in the world. And the combination of the two means that Denmark’s CO2 emissions are falling. See figure 1.