Denmark ready to help China to reach its green goals

China plans to invest billions in green technology and Danish minister of trade, Pia Olsen Dyhr says that Denmark got the solution needed by China.

An investment of 320 billion DDK to cut air pollution in China’s 117 largest cities by 5 percent in 2015 is the latest announcement from the Chinese Ministry of Environment, and Pia Olsen Dyhr believes Denmark has a real opportunity to help China along the way to its green goals, despite China’s tendency to buy Chinese, she told Danish Newspaper Politiken.

“We have, with our growth market strategy for China, put an emphasis on the importance of a good and close dialogue between the the authorities in China and Denmark, so that we can help Danish business make inroads [into China],” Dyhr told the paper.

One Danish company having success cashing in on China’s efforts is catalyst company Haldor Topsøe, which provided catalytic converters to buses used during the 2008 Olympic Games and has helped Chinese diesel motor producers comply to the country’s sharpened environmental requirements.

When Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Denmark earlier this year, Haldor Topsøe used the occasion to sign a contract on investing 100 million DDK in a factory in Tianjin to produce technology for cleaning exhaust gases.

Other Danish companies would be well-advised to market their environmental know-how to China, according to Dyhr.

“Denmark has the technological solutions to increase energy efficiency and reduce air pollution – filters, catalysers, effective cauldrons and well-functioning district heating systems,” Dyhr told Politiken newspaper. “And many abroad have had their eyes opened in recent years to what Denmark can do in this particular area.”

Dyhr’s position was backed by the climate minister, Martin Lidegaard (Radikale), who was recently in China to meet with government officials and leaders in the energy sector.

“Even though we are a small country, we can really make a difference,” Lidegaard told Politiken. “We have experience and knowledge that is sought after by the Chinese authorities – we can build sustainably, carry out energy renovations and deliver energy-efficient building materials.”

Denmark’s exports to China increased 20 percent in the first nine months of a year where President Hu Jintao make the first ever visit to Denmark by a Chinese head of state, and Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt return the favour with an official state visit to China.

The goal is to double the Danish export in 5 years from 24 billion DDK in 2011 to 48 billion DDK in 2016, which will put China into top 4 of Danish exports markets, Pia Olsen Dyrh told Politiken.

Original news source: http://politiken.dk/erhverv/ECE1852617/roed-femaarsplan-mod-smog-kan-hjaelpe-groen-dansk-eksport/

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