Denmark pushes to tie climate goals to European defense and economic strength

Denmark launched its European Union presidency with a push to keep climate policy on the agenda, arguing that energy independence is critical to Europe’s security and competitiveness.

Rosie Birchard reports for Deutsche Welle.

In short:

• Denmark began its six-month EU Council presidency in July, emphasizing green policy as a means to bolster European defense and reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports.
• Shifting global pressures — including war in Ukraine, U.S. tariffs, and rising industrial concerns — have pushed many EU nations to deprioritize climate goals in favor of economic and military concerns.
• The European Commission's new emissions target of a 90% cut by 2040 faces strong opposition from some EU countries, while critics also warn that loopholes in carbon credit rules undermine climate progress.

Key quote:

"Climate change is about defense. Europe’s strategic autonomy is threatened, and it’s threatened partly because we are so extremely dependent on the import of fossil fuels."

— Lars Aagaard, Denmark’s climate and energy minister

Why this matters:

Europe’s ambitious climate agenda is now colliding with geopolitical and economic realities. As the EU races to rearm and secure energy supplies, the continent risks drifting from its green commitments. Military expansion, while aimed at protecting democratic institutions, can come with hidden environmental costs — from emissions to raw material extraction. At the same time, extreme weather across southern Europe is escalating public concern over inaction.

Denmark’s effort to link climate resilience with defense underscores the growing recognition that energy policy and national security are intertwined. But with opposition mounting among EU states, the broader question is whether green priorities can survive the political push to deregulate in an increasingly unstable world.

Related: EU shifts course on climate policy as deregulation accelerates