Nations across the world have passed varying policies within their countries to progress the fight against climate change. As we move closer towards the point of no return for climate action, it is clear that some countries are advancing their efforts more than others. In 2019, New Zealand passed its Zero-Carbon Act, which places the country of five million people on the trajectory “to being carbon neutral by 2050.” The bill also “enshrines the country’s commitment to the Paris [Climate] Agreement into law” (ecowarrierprincess.net) and under the Climate Change Commission, requires emission budget revisions every five years. New Zealand’s electricity sources are already eighty-percent renewable, with hydropower, geothermal, and wind being the main contributors, but the target is to be one hundred percent renewable by 2035. Costa Rica is at the forefront of renewable energy sources. Around ninety-seven percent of the country’s total electricity usage came from clean energy in 2018, with seventy-two percent hydropower, sixteen percent wind power, nine percent geothermal, and less than one percent for both biomass and solar. Introduced in 2019, Costa Rica’s National Decarbonisation Plan 2018-2050 doesn’t just commit to having net zero emissions by 2050 but outlines the strategies for “electrifying the public transport system… [improving] farming practices,” waste management, and different agricultural sectors. Arguably one of the country’s biggest climate accomplishments is its reforestation efforts which have essentially reversed deforestation in Costa Rica. 

A couple of years ago, Italy became one of the first, if not the first, country to require schools to teach about climate change and sustainability. Especially within the transportation sector, Italy is putting a large focus on renewable energy and reducing black carbon emissions.     

But if there’s one country that’s leading the climate fight policy-wise, it would be Denmark. Rated as one of the “top five most environmentally friendly countries in the world” (ecowarrierprincess.net), one of their biggest goals as frontrunners is to “increase global climate ambition” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark). In the last few decades, the country has made climate policy a priority and the laws passed are a definite reflection of that fact. Denmark was one of the first to start switching from coal to wind power and biofuels. Wind power accounts for almost half of the country’s electricity supply and Vestas, a Danish-based company, is actually the largest supplier of wind turbines in the world. Denmark aims to be a resource and example for other nations to follow in their footsteps and implement similar climate action policies. With its Global Climate Action Strategy: A Green and Sustainable World, the Danish government hopes to “increase global climate ambition, [like I previously said]… reduce global greenhouse gas emissions… strengthen [the] focus on adaptation and sustainable development… shift financial flows to green, climate-friendly investments… and cooperate with the private sector on green solutions.” But a lot of what I just mentioned seems like empty words, so what is Denmark actually doing to follow through with them? Like countless other countries within the Paris Climate Agreement, Denmark’s Climate Act targets the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, but unlike some nations, it is written into law, as opposed to just making a commitment. Almost two years ago, a climate law was passed, “committing to reach seventy percent below its 1990 emissions” by 2030. An important aspect of the climate law and what differentiates Denmark from other countries is the fact that “every five years, the government must set a legally binding emissions target across sectors of the economy including energy, housing, industry, transportation, agriculture, and forestry. Parliament holds the minister for climate and energy accountable and can force that person out of office if insufficient progress is made,” which makes reaching the emissions’ goal an extreme incentive (US News & World Report). Offshore wind farms generate an incredible amount of energy and are a strategic alternative to onshore farms because they take up much less space. Denmark plans to build an artificial island to be used as an offshore wind farm; the project has the possibility to supply Denmark with all of its needed energy, with the surplus being sold to contiguous countries. The total cost is estimated to be between $29.5 and 44.2 billion.    

While there have obviously been countless advancements with climate policy in the last few years, some of the countries around the world that have made the biggest strides still have long ways to go. Green policies catching up to the proposed goals is still a very real problem. While Costa Rica’s electricity statistics are incredibly impressive, electricity is just a small percentage of its total energy use; the country still relies heavily on fossil fuels to power the remaining energy needs, especially within transportation and heating. Costa Rica’s lack of solar power usage puts them at a bit of a disadvantage, and utilizing that resource could make huge differences within their different energy sectors. New Zealand, one of the world’s loudest climate activist voices, seems to propose more framework than policy. While the goal of “zero net emissions of all greenhouse gases” by 2050 is an ambitious and important target, the act discludes methane gas emissions from agriculture and waste from the total count, which make up nearly forty percent of all emissions within the country. And sixty percent of all energy is still powered by fossil fuels, especially crude oil. 

But despite some of the flawed strategies, it’s important to recognize that the steps are being taken, maybe not as quickly as they should be, but nonetheless. Let’s hope that the countries which are lacking in climate change policy can use Denmark, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and others as an example and start to catch up with the ones that are leading the fight.