Denmark is one of the S8nations countries due to its remarkable approach to renewable energy. Not only is Copenhagen the most bicycle friendly city in the world, but also earning money while doing so. 

Nine out of ten Danes own a bicycle and enjoy 450 km of dedicated bicycle lanes and bridges in Copenhagen. For each kilometre a resident of Copenhagen rides, society earns 4.8 krone (75 US cents), while the same distance with a car costs society 10.09 krone (1.58 US dollars). By 2025, Copenhagen wants to be the world's first carbon neutral capital. By 2030, fossil-fuelled cars will not be sold in the country anymore.

 

However, replacing cars by bicycles is not the only thing the Danes have accomplished in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Originally, Denmark was dependent on other countries and their oil in order to survive. So, when the oil crisis hit in the 1970's, Denmark decided to become independent and search for their own energy source. The solution was large-scale electricity generation from wind power. 

By 2009 they had built the largest offshore wind farm in the world and are now generating more than 40 percent of its electricity from wind, the highest proportion in the world. By 2025, they want to reach 60 percent.

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Denmark has used its only natural resource - wind - to approach self-sufficiency and has hence created one of the most reliable power grids in the world. The results are twice the GDP compared to 1973 and decreased greenhouse gases of 40 percent since 1990.

 

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