DK2020

The DK2020 program was set up in 2019 to assist municipalities in preparing ambitious, local climate action plans that can lead the way to climate neutrality by no later than 2050. Two years in, no less than 95 Danish municipalities have joined the program, making Denmark the first country in the world where virtually all municipalities are drawing up climate actions plans to meet the targets set in the Paris Agreement.

The idea behind DK2020 is to support municipalities all over Denmark in developing, upgrading or adjusting their existing work on climate action to global best practice, and in ultimately developing climate action plans in line with the 1.5 degree goal in the Paris Agreement. This means that the climate action plans must show the way towards local climate neutrality in 2050 – or sooner.

The climate action plans will comply with the Climate Action Planning Framework developed by the C40 cities network. DK2020 marks the first time this ambitious international standard is adapted and applied for use in smaller cities and municipalities – which means that the DK2020 municipalities are not just developing local climate action plans, but in fact also making history in the global fight against climate change.

Learn more about the Climate Action Planning Framework (CAPF)

Timeline and organisation

Since the first 20 municipalities joined DK2020 in 2019, an additional 75 municipalities have joined in, meaning that virtually all (95) of Denmark’s 98 municipalities are now part of DK2020.

This growth and extension of the program was made possible in 2020 when Realdania formed a partnership with Local Government Denmark and the five Danish regions – ensuring DK2020 a total funding of DKK 45 mill (appr. €6 mio.) that made it possible to invite all Danish municipalities to join. Simultaneously, five geographical organizations with specialist competencies were established to provide advice and consultancy on a regional level. From the beginning in 2019, C40 and green think tank CONCITO have assisted as knowledge partners and project secretariat.

Explore the first climate action plans - more are on their way

Green marks the municipalities that have now completed their climate action plans. Choose a municipality on the map below to view the municipality's climate action plan.

Blue marks municipalities joining DK2020 from 2020.

Purple marks municipalities joining DK2020 from 2021.

Grey marks municipalities joining DK2020 from 2023.

As the climate action plans are completed and approved, the map will be updated with links.

The DK2020 project is based on the Deadline 2020 report, published by the international C40 cities network and the consultancy firm Arup in 2016 following the Paris Agreement. The report sets a global standard for how cities and municipalities can contribute to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement. It also points out that up to 40% of the goals in the Paris Agreement can be reached by implementing the right climate measures in the world’s cities and municipalities.

Deadline 2020