Adaptation approaches in Danish municipalities’ climate action plans

The world is constantly changing. In recent years, we have repeatedly experienced the consequences of the more extreme weather that comes with changes in the global climate, where drought, precipitation and storm surges have had major consequences in different parts of Denmark.

Climate science tells us that it will only increase in scale and consequence in the future. Denmark, and much of the world, has been built up over many years where we have experienced a stable climate. As it changes, society must also adapt to the changing reality, and this report looks at how municipalities in Denmark are working to support this.

Municipalities have a crucial influence on creating a more climate-resilient society in Denmark, as they must both implement national ambitions and develop the right concrete solutions in the local context. Through the DK2020 project, Danish municipalities have developed climate action plans with the aim of setting strategic goals for climate resilience for the entire municipality's geography and across sectors. The local knowledge of the municipalities is an important element in building climate resilience, as they link their climate efforts to other professional objectives in the municipality, so that the transition is seen in a larger context and activates all relevant actors.

The report summarizes the municipalities' efforts in climate adaptation as part of the DK2020 project and builds on a document analysis of 96 municipalities' climate action plans and background documents that have formed the basis for the municipalities' DK2020 certification by CONCITO and C40 Cities.

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