Editorial

EDITOR IN CHIEF
Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade & Investment
Ambassador Jarl Frijs-Madsen

Denmark is red and white – the colours of our flag – but to an increasing extent green and blue. Green as one of the world leaders in clean technologies and blue because of our long and strong maritime tradition. The theme of this issue of Focus Denmark is ’Maritime Denmark’. Shipping is today Denmark’s second largest export industry, and Denmark’s growth in shipping is increasing by more than the international average. Danish shipping companies transport 10% of world trade. Seen in relation to Denmark’s size, with a population that represents less than a thousandth of the world’s population, Danish shipping takes on major significance.

The know-how and expertise accumulated in Maritime Denmark is already attracting international maritime companies. Today, Copenhagen is a European centre for shipping, whereas five years ago the city was only a regional centre. The Danish Shipowners’ Association anticipates that in another five years Copenhagen will be among the three most important shipping cities in the world.

This issue of Focus Denmark is accompanied by a special supplement highlighting Danish competences in energy, climate and environment, published to coincide with Expo 2008 ’Water and Sustainable Development’ in Zaragoza in Spain, where the Danish pavilion will showcase sustainable exploitation of water, wind, biofuel and lighting. Denmark is working steadily towards a successor to the Kyoto Protocol at the UN Climate Change conference (COP15) in Copenhagen in 2009, with the involvement of the Danish government, Danish research institutions and Danish companies in the green technology sector. Denmark wil do the utmost to make the world greener.

Enjoy the read.