Thank you for the introduction, Lykke.

And thank you for the invitation. It’s a great pleasure for me to address you – the audience present in the room – and all of you participating online.

With today’s conference we highlight the important role of creating not only a green transition, but also a just transition.

Approximately three weeks ago, COP26 in Glasgow finished after many long days of negotiations. The global community was present to discuss the all-important agenda of climate change and a green transition.

Denmark was present at the COP with the largest delegation of public and private stakeholders counting more than 30 partners behind the Danish pavilion.

Since 2008, I have been the patron of State of Green and I am proud to support an organization that has created a platform to share Danish solutions and experiences internationally. As was the case at the COP. Through this we can help accelerate a green transition, not only in Denmark but also across borders globally.

One of the most important topics on the global climate agenda and the theme of today’s conference is the notion “just transition”.

Over the coming decades we face a major global challenge: How can we secure people’s livelihoods while working for a green transition?

On the one hand clean energy transitions will create jobs and ensure a cleaner, healthier world.

But on the other hand, across the planet, communities are facing challenges brought about by this very same energy transition: When we phase out fossil fuels, companies will close, and jobs will disappear.

We cannot ignore this. We need to find ways to help people benefit from the transition. We cannot ‘leave anybody behind’, as we say in the army. 

In Denmark, we have a decade-long and well-established tradition for close cooperation between the private sector, civil society, labour and government. This has allowed us to use the green transition to create new jobs and thereby not leaving anybody behind.

I hope other countries will do the same. 

Although times are challenging right now, I am still optimistic for the future and the lives of future generations. We need to secure a global economic recovery that is both sustainable and equitable. In that context, I think it is fair to say that Denmark has a lot to offer in terms of inspiration, experience and concrete green solutions.

We have a long tradition of setting ambitious world-leading national energy targets.

By 2030, at least half of our total energy consumption will come from renewable energy sources, and by 2050 we will be a zero-carbon society independent of fossil fuels. That bodes well for the future, and Denmark can serve as a role model.

On our path to a just and green society, we stand on the shoulders of our history since the 1970s.

Over that 50-year period we have reduced our CO2-emissions by 40 pct., and one of the key elements of our green transition has been strong collaboration between all stakeholders; from the public sector setting long-term goals and strategies, over the private sector developing technologies and solutions, academia building and strengthening new knowledge and innovation, labor unions and civil society engaging actively and pushing for more ambition, to the general public accepting and embracing the new direction.

To reach our targets in Denmark, the targets set in Paris in 2015 and the commitments made at a global level, I believe we can learn from this history of multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Each one of these stakeholders play an important role. They are key in creating green growth, ensuring jobs and competencies, and direct financial flows to the communities and regions that need them.

With that in mind, I am happy to see so many different stakeholders speaking today from public – to private – to civil society.

As patron of State of Green – itself a public-private partnership, working to promote Danish green solutions internally – I have met many international political and commercial decision makers, who have visited Denmark to learn about our experiences and solutions.

I think the main reason for their interest in Denmark, is that we not only have the green solutions, but also the green partnership model. A model enabling collaboration and cohesion between market, technology, civil ambitions and political regulations.

To me, this shows that it’s not only in Denmark we can contribute to reducing Co2-emissions, but we can also help accelerate a green transition globally.

We all face a tremendous task today. The global economy needs a significant boost after the global health and economic crises. We need to find new ways to create sustainable growth and new green jobs.

Building a future low carbon economy does not come easy. It takes a lot of work, money and innovative solutions, but we cannot afford not to do it.

I have no doubt that while the task at times may be daunting, there is a way forward to a more sustainable, green, and prosperous future for all of us.

I hope you will feel inspired by the talks today and I wish for all of us a prosperous sustainable future.

Thank you for your attention.