Naestved goes green

The municipality not only puts a lot of efforts to become more environmentally friendly but the City Council has pushed green issues high on the agenda. In the past two months Næstved has signed two agreements in which the municipality as a business and as a geographic area commits to further reduce CO₂ emissions and to act for a more sustainable future. These pacts are: the Danish Society for Nature Conservation Climate Community Agreement and The Covenant of Mayors of European cities.

The Nastved Municipality signs The Covenant of Mayors and other agreements to further reduce CO₂ emissions

In 2008 the City Council adopted a climate strategy and just last month (Sep.09) the municipality launched a Climate Action Plan for 2009-2030 which guides Næstved towards a sustainable energy future reducing dramatically the municipality's overall energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from current levels, while meeting the needs of present and future generations. Some of the ambitious goals of the Action Plan are to reduce the CO₂ emissions by 30% by the year 2020 and by 50% by 2030.

There is no doubt that Næstved is activelyjoining the fight against climate change. Here follows some of the many projects which the municipality has made or participates in:

- Mapping and measuring CO₂ emissions
- Green Building Exhibition
- National energy competition
- Energy efficiency program for municipal buildings
- Energy efficiency program for municipal vehicles
- International Climate Conference
- Waste heat community energy program
- Wind energy planning
- ...and many more.

Mayor Henning Jensen says: "To act in a climate friendly way should not be a burden but a challenge and an opportunity; an opportunity to develop our local community in a more sustainable way, to attract not only different types of educational institution but also innovative businesses and new citizens. But it is also an opportunity to develop new competence and knowledge. Well, in other words: to think and act in a climate friendly way gives the challenge and the opportunity to make Næstved Municipality a better place to live".