Langeland Kommune has put itself on the map as a climate municipality with great ambitions and concrete actions. With the goal of CO2 neutrality by 2050 and an interim reduction of 70 percent by 2030 compared to 1990, the municipality is leading the way in the green transition. As an island municipality with 150 kilometres of coastline and a landscape dominated by agriculture, Langeland faces unique climate challenges that require tailored solutions. The municipality's total CO2 emissions were 142,598 tonnes in 2019 (p. 15), equivalent to approximately 11 tonnes per capita. What is remarkable about Langeland's climate profile is the extreme dominance of agriculture, which accounts for a full 70 percent of emissions (p. 15), while the transport sector contributes 25 percent. The energy sector accounts for only 3 percent thanks to the municipality's impressive overproduction of wind energy at 162 percent of local electricity consumption (p. 20). This distribution makes Langeland very different from most Danish municipalities, where energy typically plays a larger role. What makes Langeland's climate efforts particularly complex is the combination of being a bridge-connected island with massive agricultural emissions and a high groundwater table. The municipality has already achieved a 25 percent reduction since 1990 (p. 7), primarily thanks to the major investment in wind turbines and biomass-based district heating. However, the overproduction of renewable energy paradoxically becomes a problem after 2030, as surplus electricity will no longer count positively in the climate accounts when the national grid is expected to be CO2-neutral. The most ambitious planned measures focus on utilising Langeland's energy surplus intelligently. A Power-to-X plant in symbiosis with a biogas facility will produce 250 tonnes of hydrogen annually (p. 21), enough to cover the entire non-road and fisheries sector's fuel needs. At the same time, the municipality plans massive afforestation of 500 hectares by 2050 (p. 27) and retirement of 500 hectares of climate-impacting lowland soils. The Strynø ferry, which is municipally owned, will be converted to HVO biodiesel in 2025 with an 80 percent CO2 reduction. Nevertheless, the municipality faces significant challenges. Even with all planned measures, there will be a shortfall of 35,847 tonnes of CO2 in 2030 and 54,910 tonnes in 2050 (p. 18). This shortfall consists primarily of emissions from agriculture and transport, over which the municipality has limited influence. Many of the solutions depend on national legislation, technological development, and market forces that the municipality cannot control. Langeland Kommune is betting on broad engagement through the establishment of a climate council and partnerships with local actors such as Skovsgaard, Langeland Forsyning, and Den Grønne Rygrad. A special initiative is the development of educational programmes on environment and sustainability for all schools in the municipality. Through the joint Funen vision FYN2030, the municipality has also committed to an even more ambitious reduction of 80 percent as early as 2030, underscoring the serious commitment to the climate effort.

Source: DK2020 KLIMAPLAN (2022)