Hedensted Kommune has set an ambitious goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and become climate neutral by 2050 at the latest. This target is not just a political statement, but a necessity for a municipality that stretches from Juelsminde by the sea in the east to the green nature of Tørring in the west, and which houses 46,700 citizens spread across 31 strong local communities. The municipality's climate challenge is particularly complex due to its character as both a major industrial municipality and an agricultural municipality. With a population density of only 84.7 inhabitants per km2 - significantly below the national average of 135 - Hedensted faces transport challenges where many families have two cars and the municipality is burdened by the busy E45 motorway stretch. At the same time, many goods are produced and transported in and out of the municipality from the numerous industrial enterprises. The most significant effort lies within the energy sector, where the municipality must reduce 180,000 tonnes of CO2 by ensuring local electricity production matching consumption within the municipal boundary by 2030. This is to be achieved through strategic heat maps, solar panels on commercial buildings and not least solar panel projects with citizen shares. In the agricultural sector, the municipality plans to plant at least 830 hectares of forest by 2030 and a further 3,300 hectares by 2050, bringing the municipality closer to the national target of 25% forest cover. A particularly notable flagship project is Hedensted Søerne og Folkeskov, where 10-15 hectares of forest are being established between E45 and Hedensted Centret with an annual CO2 reduction of 70-100 tonnes. The project combines climate action with recreational values and protection of drinking water resources. At the same time, the innovative 'Plant for the Sky' project is being run, exploring future foods through vertical farming and engaging schoolchildren in climate box education. The municipality honestly acknowledges, however, that there are still significant challenges to solve. Particularly in agriculture, where the target of a 60% reduction in greenhouse gases is ambitious for a relatively large agricultural municipality, and in transport, where dispersed settlement and business structure make the transition complex. Therefore, pilot projects such as 'Climate on the farm' are being developed in collaboration with Horsens Kommune to find solutions. Citizen and business engagement takes place through concrete networks such as 'De Naturlige Hedensteder' for citizens and the professional 'KlimaX' network. The municipality facilitates workshops on transition to sustainable heating, offers guidance on waste management and creates opportunities for local co-ownership of energy installations. Through Strategicenter Compas, targeted efforts are made to link sustainability and business development, so that the green transition becomes a competitive advantage for local businesses.

Source: Klimaplan 2050 (2022)