Transfer of know-how and expertise, Danish Environmental Protection Agency

The Danish model for sustainable water solutions

Transfer of know-how and expertise

Denmark is a world leader as regards aquatic environment issues and is renowned for exemplary cooperation between the public and private sectors. Exports of environmental technology and environmental administrative knowledge are therefore expanding rapidly. In this respect private-sector consultancy firms play a major role.

Danish drinking water policy is based on groundwater protection:

Prevention and source-oriented efforts

Higher priority is accorded to contamination prevention than to subsequent purification

Designation of particularly valuable water abstraction areas (as regards resource size, quality, protection requirements, etc.)

Danish wastewater policy aims to:

Minimize discharges of hazardous substances

Allow discharges of other substances provided the aquatic environment is not harmed

Protect the environment by imposing limits on discharges of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus from major wastewater treatment plants that are tailored to the pollution sensitivity of the recipient waters

Transfer of know-how

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Danish EPA) - often in collaboration with Danish companies and authorities - advises and assists other countries on a series of environmental issues.

In recent years, a number of Danish counties and public water utilities have been involved in the transfer of know-how to Eastern Europe, as well as to the developing countries. Denmark is thus able to provide public expertise on an international level.

In this context, Danish consultancy firms play a major role, mainly operating alone in the water sector, but also in close cooperation with various public stakeholders.

The international water sector projects in which Denmark participates are staffed by personnel with practical experience in jobs similar to those of the client - typically key personnel in technical, financial and managerial positions.

Examples of services and assistance offered by consultancy firms or public and private entities in cooperation are shown in the text box below.

Danish assistance:

	Preparing draft legislation, regulations, directives, guidelines, etc.
	Administering and enforcing legislation, supervision, emission standards, etc.
	Formulating action plans
	Monitoring the state of the environment, collecting knowledge and information on environmental conditions
	Deploying economic instruments
	Training
	Institutional development at national and regional levels
	Organization, preparation and implementation of environmental administration and supervision of groundwater, drinking water, wastewater and surface waters (watercourses, lakes and coastal waters)
	Development of water and wastewater utility management and operation covering technical, administrative and organizational aspects as well as customer relations

This assistance is based on the Danish tradition of:

Holistic management

Optimization of operation and maintenance

Consumer-oriented services