Amy Thorpe
June 27th, 2022

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thermal power stations results in conversion losses. (photo: Jonas Smith/ Flickr)

A majority in the Folketing has agreed to get rid of gas in Denmark by 2035 as part of the ‘Danmark kan mere II’ initiative.

To do so, solar and onshore wind energy production will quadruple in 2030, and offshore wind energy production will quintuple.

Dual crises
“Denmark and the world are in the middle of two crises in the form of a climate crisis and an energy and supply crisis,” said the climate minister, Dan Jørgensen. 

“The agreement we have made puts Denmark in a much better position in terms of getting away from Putin’s gas and phasing out fossil energy sources in this country.”

In the European Commission’s court
Approximately 400,000 Danish homes are reliant on gas today.

The government hopes the European Commission can aid in creating measures that will halt any new installation of oil and gas boilers.

Parliament approves bill granting access to their children’s health records
A new health agreement passed by Parliament asserts that parents must have access to a larger portion of their children’s medical data. “In the vast majority of cases, it is the parents who look after the children’s interests and take care of children who have an illness,” reasoned the deputy head of the Danish patients association, Annette Wandel. “It is the parents who keep track of appointments and follow up on treatment. So it is really important that parents have access.” The policy change will take at least a couple of years to implement, according to a spokesperson for the health minister.

Dansk Folkeparti faces dwindling membership numbers
Some 10 members have now abandoned the far-right Dansk Folkeparti, leaving the parliamentary group with just six seats – less than half the amount it acquired at the 2019 General Election. The highest-profile of them is Søren Espersen, a member of DF since its creation, who confirmed his intention to leave via Twitter on Saturday. A further two of the remaining six members have announced they will not run again in 2023. The chaos revolving Dansk Folkeparti comes amid internal accusations of poor leadership and follows a general decline in popularity demonstrated by a low number of votes in the 2019 election. Some have speculated whether the collapse of the party may be imminent.

Demand high for new Danish-Ukrainian dictionary
A new Danish-Ukrainian dictionary developed by Aarhus University has been flying off the shelves since its release. A total of 650 have already been sold, and an additional 1,400 preorders have been placed for the dictionary’s second edition. Aarhus University, which produced the dictionary at lightning speed, hopes the book will enable Danes and Ukrainians to better communicate with one another. Since February, approximately 24,000 Ukrainian refugees have been given residency in Denmark.

Royal children withdrawn from Herlufsholm amid reports of bullying
The Royal Family has withdrawn Prince Christian and Princess Isabella from Herlufsholm following reports of bullying within the school. The Styrelsen for Undervisning og Kvalitet issued a harsh critique of Herlufsholm, stating that it had not lived up to its responsibility to protect the well-being of students. “Considering the many students who continue at Herlufsholm, it is our hope that the school now has more peace to ensure the necessary changes and succeed in creating a culture where everyone can thrive and feel safe,” said the Royal Family. Where Christian and Isabella will attend school in the autumn is to be determined over the summer.

Minor raped during Folkemødet
A 17-year-old girl was raped during this year’s Folkemødet, the politics festival in Allinge on the island of Bornholm. A man in his 20s was brought before a judge on Monday June 20, according to Bornholm Police, where it was decided he should remain in custody for 14 days, Local outlet Bornholm.nu reports he has pleaded not guilty and appealed against the imprisonment decision.