From being plans on a desk, the visions from the Green Tripartite must now really come out and sprout in the landscape.
The municipalities are thus embarking on a major task, as they are the prime movers for the many land conversions needed to transform thousands of hectares into forest and wild nature.
To achieve this work, the Danish Association of Municipalities (KL) is launching a five-year project that will help reduce bottlenecks in the process.
The project is called "Municipalities' path to a green Denmark" and is supported with 35 million kroner by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
- The vision of the project is to support the municipalities in realizing the green tripartite, says Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen (S), chairman of the KL's Climate and Environment Committee.
The donation from the Novo Nordisk Foundation will specifically ensure that employees in the municipalities receive the latest knowledge so that they are better equipped to navigate everything from calculations of nitrogen effects to EU support schemes.
In addition, a joint professional competence center will be established, where municipal employees will have access to analyses and guidance as well as input from experts.
- Now we ensure that employees have a place to go when they need quick help and quick sparring, says Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen.
Is 35 million DKK enough?
The project also includes a pool of five million to help smaller municipalities cooperate across municipal borders.
For example, it may be shared to hire an extra employee.
To the question of whether the 35 million DKK is enough to help the country's 98 municipalities with land conversion, Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen answers:
- It is our assessment that this is what is needed for us to reach our goal. But we can't know until we're well underway, he says.
One thing that is certain is that there is a growing pile of green ambitions to get started.
Recently, the land conversion exceeded a thousand projects applied for in the so-called multifunctional land registration, colloquially known as Mars.
It is a digital platform that brings together all land conversion plans in the country.
Organization concerned about progress
The projects range from afforestation to mini-wetlands.
And they show a great interest in contributing to the Green Tripartite, says Martin Hjort Jensen, vice chairman of the farmers' trade organization Agriculture & Food.
- The farmers want to, and the landowners want to. The thousand projects applied for are an expression of that. So the will is there, and the activity is there, he states.
Amidst the joy, Martin Hjort Jensen is concerned about whether municipalities and the other authorities are geared to launch the projects quickly enough.
- We have concerns about the progress, and that the projects are stalling due to lack of resources, he says and continues:
- So we are focusing on political clarification on the professional side and a strong focus on increased resources, so that the municipalities can deliver what they actually want.
Martin Hjort Jensen is therefore immediately positive about KL's new project. However, he emphasizes that he does not yet know the details of it, and that he therefore cannot comment further on it.
- But we welcome all the measures that can be taken to optimize the efforts with the Green Tripartite. This may help to address some of my concerns, says Martin Hjort Jensen.
From KL it sounds like they will do everything they can to ensure that landowners and farmers get their projects realized.
- We will probably do our best to deliver our part of the agreement, and the state agencies will do the same, says Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen.
/ritzau/
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