Denmark Lacks a Climate-Resilient Strategy for Future Cities and Landscapes
Water levels are expected to rise around Denmark – bringing a swath of problems that demand coordinated action. An expert group proposes five recommendations for how the government can better address rising water levels and an increasing number of extreme weather events.
Our homes, infrastructure, extensive coastlines, and landscapes are all under pressure from climate change. Not acting now, will risk allowing water to dictate where we can live and travel in the future.
The government is facing a crucial decision: the upcoming Climate Adaptation Plan 2 must set a clear direction for how Denmark will handle rising water levels and extreme weather. However, climate adaptation presents complex challenges.
One major issue with the current approach is that responsibility is fragmented across multiple ministries. Climate adaptation and watercourse legislation fall under the Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality. The Planning Act is administered by the Ministry of Cities, Rural Districts, and Ecclesiastical Affairs. The Ministry of Green Transition oversees Denmark’s green initiatives, emergency planning falls under the Ministry of Resilience and Preparedness, and storm surge protection for Copenhagen is coordinated by the Ministry of Transport.
Meanwhile, an effective Climate Adaptation Plan requires a holistic approach.
In collaboration with the green think tank CONCITO and the landscape architecture firm Schønherr, BLOXHUB convened a select group of experts and practicioners to share their insights on securing Denmark’s climate-resilient future. This effort has resulted in five recommendations.
Five Recommendations for a National Strategy
- A climate-resilient framework law and national strategy for blue-green planning should form the foundation of future housing and settlement.
The Danish State must define clear guidelines on where we should build, protect, and — if necessary — plan for relocation. Making difficult priorities are essential when deciding which parts of the country should and should not be adapted to climate change. However, without prioritisation, both current and future residents could face significant financial losses in relation to their inability to sell at risk properties, and social cohesion being threatened as a result.
Based on informed decision-making, areas must be designated where residential living will not be a viable long-term option, either due to environmental considerations or flood risks. At the same time, legislation requires a climate review, ensuring that the Planning Act, Nature Conservation Act, and Watercourse Act support sustainable housing and climate adaptation efforts with respect for the value of nature and its forces.
- Key water management corridors and zones should be prioritised at the same level as critical infrastructure.
Water is both a vital resource and a challenge in a changing climate. Blue corridors and zones for collecting, diverting, and delaying the water we know will come should be prioritised at the same level as critical infrastructure, such as transport hubs, hospitals, and energy supply.
Coastal protection structures and water management corridors are not just a local responsibility but a national necessity to protect our cities, coastlines, and natural areas from flooding and climate-related risks. They are our collective frontline against climate challenges and an unavoidable part of future protection and adaptation.
Many of the necessary tools already exist within current legislation, so local politicians in affected municipalities should not have to stand alone with difficult and unpopular decisions when ensuring long-term solutions.
- The implementation of the Green Tripartite should include climate adaptation and establish a blue-green foundation for land use in Denmark.
Water should be integrated as a central part of the spaces allocated to nature, which the Green Tripartite must safeguard. Climate change has a significant impact on the future use of land—just as land use has a major influence on water runoff.
Denmark’s land is facing a historic re-evaluation, considering both the increasing demand for energy facilities, food production, housing, and more, as well as the Green Tripartite Agreement’s goals for converting carbon-rich lowland soils, afforestation, improving water quality, and creating more connected natural areas.
The planning and prioritisation of Denmark’s land must account for the water cycle while also supporting effective solutions that enable climate adaptation within drainage basins. This requires holistic thinking and cross-sector collaboration, where considerations for climate and security of future investments go hand in hand with social and economic sustainability.
- Local transformation zones in flood-prone areas should provide a pathway for new life in local communities.
In areas where long-term habitation will become increasingly difficult due to rising water levels, transformation plans should be developed to create value for both people and nature.
The people who live in and use the cities and vulnerable areas must be at the centre of the planning process — helping ensure both security and a sense of ownership. Therefore, transformation should happen gradually and in a planned manner to prevent existing property owners from suddenly losing all their value from one day to the next.
This type of planning allows for a more predictable development of our local areas, integrating with a much wetter natural landscape of wetlands, meadows, and lakes. Likewise, in urban areas, water will become a more visible presence, but this requires us to make space for it.
Local plans for such major changes should be based on the political, social, cultural, environmental, and ecological values of the local community—while also considering the needs of future generations.
- A flood risk labelling scheme should create transparency and security for future investments.
By introducing a water labelling scheme, we can create greater transparency around flood risks and climate adaptation measures. An informed knowledge base and calculations on the potential for long-term value creation are essential for making sound investments in the housing market.
Currently, properties must have an energy rating when sold, along with a condition report. A “water labelling scheme” could be one way to help homeowners understand their flood risk and the measures already taken to protect areas — whether collectively or individually.
The recommendations were published in Altinget on 19 February 2025 (link)
Read more here (in Danish).
The recommendations are based on insights gained at a recent workshop series with participation from DTU, Rambøll, Grandville, Danish Coastal and Rural Tourism, Realise Danmark Aps, Metropoolregio Amsterdam, DMI, CIP Foundation, Køge Municipality, Vejle Municipality, Copenhagen Municipality, Envidan, Insurance and Pension Denmark, HOFOR, Realdania, Danish Coastal Authority, PensionDanmark, KLAR Forsyning, Schønherr, CONCITO and BLOXHUB.
Photo: Visualization of Kongelunden in the Year 2100.
Prepared by Schønherr for Dragør Municipality based on georeferenced drone photos and processed with data on sea level rise, groundwater, and rainwater.
Source: Scalgo