Denmark will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 44% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels if no new initiatives are introduced, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) projected on Thursday.
This means Denmark, broadly seen as a leader in efforts to tackle climate change, has to find ways to cut emissions by 26 percentage points more - or 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents - to reach its 70% target by the start of the next decade.
The DEA, an agency under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, said its projections were based on a so-called 'frozen policy scenario' where no new initiatives are introduced.
While Danish lawmakers have agreed on a legally binding 70% reduction target by 2030, one of the world's most ambitious climate goals, the details of how exactly this will be achieved are still to be negotiated and passed in parliament.
Denmark had achieved a 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as of 2018 by building up its renewable power and by making energy efficiency improvements, the DEA said.
The energy agency said it expected coal to be completely phased out by 2030 and power consumption to be 100% based on renewable energy by 2027.
Denmark is home to the world's largest wind turbine maker, Vestas, and the largest offshore wind farm developer, Orsted.
(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Hugh Lawson)