COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Danish legislators reached a significant agreement on Monday aimed at transforming the country’s landscape and promoting sustainability. The initiative involves the planting of 1 billion trees as well as converting 10% of the existing farmland into forests and natural habitats over the next 20 years. This action is part of a broader strategy to minimize fertilizer use across the nation.

The government has labeled this move as “the most substantial alteration to the Danish landscape in over a century.” Jeppe Bruus, who leads Denmark’s Green Tripartite Ministry, highlighted the historical significance of this initiative, stating, “The Danish nature will change in a way we have not seen since the wetlands were drained in 1864.” The ministry was established to implement a green deal forged in June, which brought together stakeholders from farming, industry, labor unions, and environmental organizations.

According to the government, a budget of 43 billion kroner (approximately $6.1 billion) has been allocated for land acquisition from farmers over the next two decades. This transformation will expand Danish forests by an estimated 250,000 hectares (or 618,000 acres), while an additional 140,000 hectares (around 346,000 acres) of farmland on climate-damaging low-lying soils is set to be reverted to natural habitats. Presently, forests cover 14.6% of the land in Denmark.

The agreement was secured by a coalition involving the three-party Danish government, which consists of the Social Democrats, the Liberals, and the center Moderates, alongside the Socialist People’s Party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Alliance, and the Social Liberal Party. A parliamentary vote to finalize the deal is seen merely as a formality.

Earlier in June, the government announced plans to impose a tax on livestock farmers based on the greenhouse gases emitted by their animals, including cows, sheep, and pigs, starting in 2030. This measure marks Denmark as the first country to implement such a tax, targeting a significant contributor to methane emissions, which are among the most impactful gases driving global warming.