The Danish government’s climate ambitions and solutions must be promoted worldwide. Therefore, climate and sustainability will, to an even greater extent, be shaping large parts of the foreign, trade, and development policies.
To ensure this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will appoint 15 new Green front Line missions, establish a new green department, and launch its first sustainability strategy.
“I want to use the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure green transition around the world. It is about unfolding the large climate ambitions of the government and showing Danish solutions. That is why we are looking at all policy areas within foreign, trade, and development policies and appointing 15 of our embassies as Green front Line missions. They will accelerate and promote Danish green solutions around the world and work for a Danish leadership on SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy. This entails a restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure a clear organizational anchoring of our global green initiatives. We need to increase the use of diplomacy and resources in the green transition,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod.
The embassies in Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Berlin, Hanoi, Jakarta, Mexico, Nairobi, New Delhi, Paris, Pretoria, Seoul, Tokyo, Washington, the Mission to the UN in New York, and the Representation to the EU in Brussels have been appointed as Green front Line missions.
Additionally, a new green department will be established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. The main task of the department will be to make every effort to promote a global, green and fair transition. Denmark has a lot to offer with both a strengthened green diplomatic service and concrete green solutions as well as excellent development assistance.
Minister for Development Cooperation Rasmus Prehn adds:
“We are facing a global climate crisis, which needs to be solved now. To succeed, we all have to contribute. This is why a new green department has been established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that strengthens the development, trade, and foreign policies. The department will work to accelerate a green, sustainable, and fair international transition based on the full spectrum of the Foreign Service. We need to strengthen the partnerships and cooperation between companies, authorities, scientific research and civil society organisations.”
Finally, both Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod and Minister for Development Cooperation Rasmus Prehn look forward to launch the sustainability strategy for the diplomatic service.
The aim is to be among the top five of the most sustainable Foreign Services in the world within the next five years, and this will be the guiding principle for the daily work in the diplomatic service. The total CO2 emission must be reduced. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals by being Green front Line missions and incorporating sustainability in contract and tender processes, administration of buildings etc.
