Ikast-Brande Kommune has set an ambitious goal: to become Denmark's green business municipality. With the climate plan from 2023, the municipality combines its longstanding identity as a production municipality with the green transition, aiming for CO2 neutrality by 2050 and a 70 percent reduction as early as 2030 compared to 1990 levels (p. 5). The vision is not about dismantling, but about developing - the municipality will preserve and strengthen its role as a supplier of food and important products to Denmark and the world. The municipality's CO2 accounts clearly reflect its character as a production municipality. Total emissions have fallen from approximately 830,000 tonnes of CO2 in 1990 to approximately 580,000 tonnes in 2018/2020 (p. 5), primarily thanks to the expansion of renewable energy. The largest sources of emissions come from agriculture, transport, and energy, where agriculture in particular - with its livestock, crop production, and land use - accounts for a significant share. Industry also contributes substantially to the overall CO2 accounts, underscoring the municipality's role as a centre for production and processing. What makes Ikast-Brande's climate challenge particularly complex is the combination of production-intensive industries and specific geographic conditions. The municipality has problems with near-surface groundwater due to soil conditions, where clay deposits limit infiltration and create challenges during increased precipitation (p. 16). At the same time, the municipality must manage the climate consequences of hosting many workplaces and a significant agricultural sector, where transport and production take a toll on the CO2 accounts. The most impactful planned measures focus on transforming the municipality's largest emitting sectors. In agriculture and nature, partnerships with agricultural actors, retirement of carbon-rich lowland soils, and use of manure for biogas production are planned, which together are expected to reduce emissions by 330,000 tonnes of CO2 (p. 6). On the energy side, the focus is on renewable energy expansion and local energy communities with surplus heat and Power-to-X technology, with a target of 111,500 tonnes of CO2 reduction. For the business sector, the use of surplus heat and phase-out of oil and gas as a heat source are prioritised, which should contribute 76,495 tonnes of CO2 reduction. The climate plan honestly acknowledges that the planned activities cannot fully ensure CO2 neutrality by 2050. The so-called shortfall lies primarily within transport and agriculture, where the municipality's direct influence is limited (p. 6). New technology and national as well as international actions are needed to close the gap. This challenge is particularly pronounced in a municipality like Ikast-Brande, where business and agriculture are so dominant. Citizen and business engagement is central to the plan's implementation. The municipality will disseminate climate knowledge through events and campaigns, establish repair cafes, and support citizen-driven climate initiatives (p. 12). The business community is engaged through concrete partnerships, particularly with the agricultural sector and local businesses on green transport and energy solutions. The goal is to create a green business climate where companies have optimal conditions to run and develop their businesses in a climate-friendly way, while citizens receive tools to contribute to the green transition in their daily lives.

Source: DK2020-klimaplan for hele Ikast-Brande Kommune (2023)