Public sector to lead the way in energy transition

Changing governments have introduced various ways to encourage consumers to choose e.g. heat pumps or electric cars over oil-fuelled power sources.

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Now, a new climate policy report, which was presented to the government last month, calls on national and municipal authorities to play a leading role in the efforts to reach 100 percent sustainable energy use by 2030.

The report includes green energy recommendations for the next ten years.

Public sector to take the lead

According to the report, it is not right to demand that consumers initiate the energy transition on their own, even though this has been the policy in many other places, including Oslo in Norway.

Instead, the report recommends imposing sustainable energy demands on public authorities to ensure that environmentally friendly energy solutions are used in the public sector, for instance when it comes to heating buildings and purchasing vehicles, whenever possible. 

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The report also recommends that public institutions submit annual reports with details on their energy use and planned steps for further energy savings and their transition to sustainable energy.

The previous climate policy did not live up to expectations, as the total CO2 emissions increased rather than the opposite.

Translated by prosa.fo