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Danish oil platform »RB-PLUS Halfdan« in the North Sea (archive picture)
Photo: Claus Fisker / picture alliance / dpa
Denmark wants to stop all oil and gas production in the North Sea by 2050.
Parliament has approved the government's plans.
"We are now putting a definitive end to the fossil fuel age," said Climate and Energy Minister Dan Jörgensen.
A licensing round that would have allowed oil production until 2055 has been stopped.
Environmental groups welcomed the decision, but criticized that the end date of 2050 was so far off.
"This agreement is a victory for the entire climate movement," said Maria Reumert Gjerding from the Danish Society for Nature Conservation.
"Now the task will be to push for an earlier end date."
Environment Minister Jørgensen justified the end date of 2050: "If we stopped in 2030 or 2040, we would have to pay compensation to the companies that have invested in plants and equipment."
Denmark is a pioneer in climate protection
Denmark is the largest producer of oil and gas in the European Union.
Last year, the country set itself one of the world's most ambitious climate targets and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
They also want to be climate neutral by 2050.
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bah / dpa / Reuters
