Critics attack climate minister over refusal to set gas phaseout date

Denmark’s new climate minister, Samira Nawa, is facing criticism for refusing to set a firm date for ending gas heating in private homes, DR reports.

Critics warn that the uncertainty could lead to expensive investment mistakes and leave hundreds of thousands of households financially exposed.

Before becoming minister, Nawa was a strong advocate of a fixed deadline, arguing that it would prevent homeowners from spending thousands of kroner on new gas boilers and give district heating companies confidence to expand their networks.

“We need an end date for gas heating in private homes. That is the political signal we can send consumers so they do not invest in new gas boilers,” Nawa said nearly two years ago.

Although Denmark has a political plan to phase out gas completely by 2035, more than 4,400 gas boilers were installed in 2025, according to new figures from the Danish Business Authority. That was 15 per cent more than in 2023.

In a DR interview, Nawa declined to set a specific deadline despite being asked about it three times. Anna Bjerre, energy spokesperson for Alternativet, the government’s support party, said she was “tired and frustrated” by the minister’s position.

“It is very clear that she is speaking evasively and is trapped in a government where several parties are not prioritising a real phaseout. I am deeply disappointed,” Bjerre said.

She added that without a deadline, people would continue investing in new gas boilers. “We are misleading consumers when we cannot clearly say when the gas will be switched off,” she said.

Anders Storgaard, energy spokesperson for the Conservative Party, also criticised Nawa. He said uncertainty over whether gas would be phased out from private homes was “poisonous” for homeowners deciding whether to invest in a heat pump.

“We agreed with Radikale and the Socialist People’s Party on the phaseout before the election. There is therefore no doubt that they had to give way on climate policy to gain government power. This is just one example,” Storgaard said.

Figures from Evida, a gas distribution company, show that more than 250,000 Danish households were still heated by gas in 2026.

Kim Mortensen, chief executive of Dansk Fjernvarme, said a clear deadline was crucial in areas where district heating networks were being expanded.

“It is unfortunate and surprising that there is no more precise answer. It is urgent that the government announces an end date for gas use in areas where district heating is being rolled out,” Mortensen said.

He warned that residents could hesitate to connect to district heating without a clear deadline, undermining the financial basis for companies to lay new pipes. Thousands of homeowners with ageing gas boilers could also spend up to 50,000 kroner on replacements, locking themselves into expensive and climate-harming heating for the next 10 to 15 years.

Dragør mayor Kenneth Gøtterup, a Conservative, said he was also surprised by Nawa’s unclear position. He was among 14 mayors who signed a letter to the previous government several years ago calling for an end date for gas use.

“We need to know what the government wants. It is not enough for them to say they want a phaseout without saying when. Give us a clear announcement,” Gøtterup said.

He said Dragør needed a new heating plan but would not proceed until the government had made its position clear.

Nawa declined to respond to the criticism in an interview. Her ministry said the parties behind the 2022 agreement to phase out oil and gas would revisit it during 2026.