Climate Minister Lars Aagaard has been hospitalized with severe back pain, which takes an important player out of the ongoing negotiations about the green tripartite. Aagaard, who is the Minister of Climate, Energy, and Utilities, shared the news himself on LinkedIn, describing the pain as a “sledgehammer in the spine.” He expressed his frustration over the timing, as the negotiations for Denmark’s climate goals require intensive efforts. Aagaard has not yet received a diagnosis and therefore does not know how long he will remain hospitalized, but he hopes for a quick recovery.
The negotiations about the green tripartite, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions from agriculture, include representatives from the government, agriculture, trade unions, municipalities, and environmental organizations, and are led by Henrik Dam Kristensen. One of the key discussions in the negotiations is the establishment of a land fund of up to 50 billion Danish kroner as well as a CO2 tax on agricultural emissions. Experts have proposed three possible models for the tax, ranging from 125 to 750 Danish kroner per ton of greenhouse gas, with higher taxes having greater consequences for jobs in agriculture.
The negotiations began in January, and a proposal is expected by the end of the month.