Editing Denmark (section)

=== Environment ===
[[File:European Environment Agency, Copenhagen.jpg|thumb|The [[European Environment Agency]] in Copenhagen]]

Denmark historically taken a progressive stance on [[environmental preservation]]: In 1971, it established a [[Ministry of Environment (Denmark)|Ministry of Environment]] and was the first country in the world to implement an [[environmental law]] in 1973.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NHxwtVy9MKMC&pg=PA323 The law of environmental damage: liability and reparation]. Marie-Louise Larsson.</ref> Land and [[water pollution]] are two of Denmark's most significant [[environmental issue]]s, although much of its household and industrial waste is now increasingly filtered and sometimes recycled. Denmark is a signatory to the [[Kyoto Protocol|Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol]] to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.<ref name="factbook">{{cite web|date=19 January 2012|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/denmark/|title=Denmark|work=The World Factbook|publisher=CIA|access-date=4 February 2012|archive-date=5 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705032013/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/denmark/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, its national [[ecological footprint]] is 8.26 global hectares per person, which is very high compared to a world average of 1.7 in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ecological Footprint Atlas 2010|url=http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/ecological_footprint_atlas_2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709225943/http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/ecological_footprint_atlas_2010/|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2011|publisher=Global Footprint Network|access-date=26 August 2015|date=2010}}</ref> Contributing factors are an exceptionally high value for cropland and grazing land,<ref>WWF (2014): Living Planet Report.</ref> possibly due to substantially high meat production ({{convert|115.8|kg}} meat annually per capita) and economic size of the meat and dairy industries.<ref>AMI (2012); preliminary data for 2011</ref>

Notwithstanding its relatively high emissions, Denmark topped the list of the 2015 [[Climate Change Performance Index]] due to its implementation effective climate protection policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://germanwatch.org/en/download/10407.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209222711/http://germanwatch.org/en/download/10407.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 December 2014|title=The Climate Change Performance Index: Results 2015|first1=Jan|last1=Burck|first2=Franziska|last2=Marten|first3=Christoph|last3=Bals|publisher=Germanwatch|access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref> The country has consistently placed first since 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 EPI Results |url=https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2020/component/epi |website=Environmental Performance Index |date=3 June 2020 |access-date=20 November 2020 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621233539/https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2022/component/epi |url-status=live }}</ref> Denmark ranked 10th in the [[Environmental Performance Index]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Environmental Performance Index |url=https://epi.yale.edu/measure/2024/EPI |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Environmental Performance Index |language=en |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710023935/https://epi.yale.edu/measure/2024/EPI |url-status=live }}</ref> which measures progress at mitigating [[climate change]], safeguarding [[Ecosystem|ecosystem vitality]], and promoting [[environmental health]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Environmental Performance Index – Denmark |url=https://epi.yale.edu/country/2024/DNK |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Environmental Performance Index |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, Denmark joined Costa Rica to launch the "Beyond Oil and Gas alliance" for stopping use fossil fuels.<ref>{{cite news |title=Climate change: Whisper it cautiously... there's been progress in run up to COP26 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58678937 |access-date=10 October 2021 |agency=BBC |date=25 September 2021 |archive-date=21 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921171344/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58678937 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Danish government stopped issuing new licences for oil and gas extraction in December 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Farand |first1=Chloé |date=4 December 2020 |title=Denmark to phase out oil and gas production by 2050 in "watershed" decision |url=https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/12/04/denmark-phase-oil-gas-production-2050-watershed-decision/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204115130/https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/12/04/denmark-phase-oil-gas-production-2050-watershed-decision/ |archive-date=4 December 2020 |access-date=29 December 2020 |agency=Climate Home News}}</ref>

Denmark's territories, Greenland and the [[Whaling in the Faroe Islands|Faroe Islands]], catch approximately 650 whales per year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2012/almost-saving-whales-the-ambiguity-of-success-at-the-international-whaling-commission-full-text/|title=Almost Saving Whales: The Ambiguity of Success at the International Whaling Commission [Full Text] – Ethics & International Affairs|date=29 March 2012|work=Ethics & International Affairs|access-date=27 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227180348/https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2012/almost-saving-whales-the-ambiguity-of-success-at-the-international-whaling-commission-full-text/|archive-date=27 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/faroe-islands-slaughter-pilot-whales-sea-blood-red-north-atlantic-iceland-denmark-ritual-tradition-a7798436.html|title=Hundreds of whales slaughtered in Faroe Island's annual killing|date=20 June 2017|work=The Independent|access-date=27 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228000456/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/faroe-islands-slaughter-pilot-whales-sea-blood-red-north-atlantic-iceland-denmark-ritual-tradition-a7798436.html|archive-date=28 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Greenland's quotas for the catch of whales are determined according to the advice of the [[International Whaling Commission]] (IWC), having quota decision-making powers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/News/2013/01/Whales|title=Greenland quotas for big whales|date=5 January 2013|work=Government of Greenland|access-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105062411/https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/News/2013/01/Whales|archive-date=5 November 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>