Hillerød Kommune has set course for climate neutrality by 2050 with an ambitious climate plan that acknowledges the municipality's role as the sustainable heart of North Zealand. With a population of 54,000 inhabitants expected to grow to around 60,000 by 2030, the municipality faces the dual challenge of reducing its climate footprint while undergoing significant growth through major urban development projects such as Favrholm and the new Hospital Nordsjælland (p. 7). The municipality's total greenhouse gas emissions stood at 268,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2019, equivalent to 5.2 tonnes per capita - considerably below the national average of 8.1 tonnes annually (p. 9). Transport is the largest contributor at 88,000 tonnes or 33% of emissions, closely followed by electricity and heating at 74,000 and 69,000 tonnes respectively (p. 9). Agriculture contributes 10% of emissions, while the municipality benefits from already very green district heating compared to other municipalities (p. 9). Hillerød Kommune distinguishes itself from other Danish municipalities through its unique blend of urban areas and extensive forest lands, which make up nearly a quarter of the total area of 213 square kilometres (p. 7). The municipality is home to several major pharmaceutical companies and has a relatively limited agricultural sector, which positively affects the emissions profile. At the same time, Hillerød functions as a transport hub with S-train connections to Copenhagen, creating both opportunities and challenges for the green transition (p. 7). The most ambitious climate measures focus on three main areas: complete phase-out of fossil fuels from district heating production by 2030, electrification of the transport sector with a target of 32% electric vehicles by 2030, and production of at least 250 GWh of renewable energy locally (pp. 18, 23). The planned separate sewerage and cloudburst protection of Hillerød town centre represents a flagship project that combines climate adaptation with urban renewal through innovative green solutions, where rainwater is directed to the castle lake via a combination of pipes and green routes (p. 31). The climate plan honestly acknowledges significant challenges, including an expected residual emission of 42,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2050, mainly from the transport sector and agriculture (pp. 11, 45). The municipality acknowledges that it does not know the entire path to the target and will therefore implement ongoing revisions of the plan every four years to adapt the strategy in step with technological development and new opportunities (p. 43). Citizen and business engagement is central to the transition strategy through the establishment of a new climate council and plans to develop Kulturaksen as a climate beacon with over 500,000 annual visitors (p. 37). The municipality will enter partnership agreements with local businesses and support existing communities such as Hillerød Symbiose and C4 erhvervsforening in the green transition, while also developing a concept for a 'climate village' as inspiration for other smaller urban communities (pp. 37, 38).

Source: Klimaplan – Sammen om klima og grøn omstilling (2023)