Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002
Ensuring sustainable livelihoods:
challenges for governments, corporates, and civil society at Rio+10
8 - 11 February 2002, New Delhi

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Mr Hans Chr. Schmidt
Minister for Environment and Energy, Denmark

Hans Chr. Schmidt was appointed Danish Minister for the Environment on November 27, 2001. He has been a member of the Danish Folketing (Parliament) for the Liberal Party since 1994, elected in the Rødding district in South Jutland. Spokesman for environment issues from 1995. In the Danish Folketing Hans Chr. Schmidt has been member of the Environment and Planning Committee, the Cultural Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. From 1995 to 2001 he was a member of the Nature Protection Board of Appeal.

Hans Chr. Schmidt has pursued his political career at local level in Vojens local district, and has represented the Liberal Party in the local council from 1982 to 2001. He was Chairman of the Committee of Education and Social Affairs in 1990-93 and 1998-2001, and first Deputy Mayor from 1998-2001.

Hans Chr. Schmidt was born in Nustrup near Vojens in 1953, and educated as a teacher from Haderslev Teacher Training College in 1977, teacher and from 1984 Vice Principal at Sommersted School in Vojens.

The Government will pursue an active environmental policy, ensuring a clean environment for future generations. Denmark will continue to meet the obligations set out in international environmental agreements. The Government aims for Denmark to be among the industrialised countries that take the lead in pollution reduction. The ambitious environmental objectives must be achieved in the economically most effective way. The Government will develop an environment policy that combines a clear responsibility for our surroundings with realistic international co-operation to reduce pollution where return on investments are highest.

The Government will strengthen the international environmental action. The possibilities of joint implementation must be utilised, in order to ensure that CO2 reductions abroad paid for with Danish money are included in the calculation of Denmark’s CO2 accounts and the fulfilment of our international CO2 obligations. The Government will work to ensure that environmental taxes are agreed at international level. The first step should be the introduction of common minimum rates for environmental taxes in the EU.

The Government will work to ensure that citizens have more influence on the development of their local area. We must create more space both for people and the natural environment. Danish environmental policy must regain its support in the population. The Government will suggest a revision of the Planning Act with the aim of ensuring its validity in future contexts. The Government will table a number of proposals, including proposals for decentralisation of the planning authority, for improved access to utilise superfluous agricultural holdings, and to give companies situated in the open country access to extend and convert their buildings.