DTU has about 5,000 bachelor’s and master’s students, and almost half of them are international. Photo: Vibeke Hempler

Top stories in Denmark today:
• Danish university named Europe’s best in new ranking
• Record number of people apply for Christmas aid from Dansk Folkehjælp
• Danish pork greenwashing campaign goes to court in landmark case
• Trial to decide whether Lynetteholm is illegal begins in the High Court

Danish university named Europe’s best in new ranking
The Technical University of Denmark has topped a new ranking if 225 technical universities in 27 EU countries.

The list, published by EngiRank, is based on EU data sources such as CORDIS and Erasmus+ as well as publication and citation statistics based on the Scopus database, and patent statistics from the European Patent Office.

Universities are assessed on their success in raising research funds, and examines how students apply for admission to engineering programmes, amongst other indicators.

“We’re extremely pleased that DTU is being ranked as Europe’s best technical university. The ranking reflects DTU’s strategic focus on offering top-quality engineering programmes, delivering excellent research, and being the preferred partner of the business sector,” says DTU’s Provost Rasmus Larsen Provost in a press release.

Record number of people apply for Christmas aid from Dansk Folkehjælp
The number of applicants for Dansk Folkehjælp’s Christmas financial aid has increased by 47 percent since 2019.

A record total of 21,544 families have applied for financial support in the Christmas period through Danish Folkehjælp.

This is 2,500 more than last year, writes Dansk Folkehjælp in a press release.

“We have to take the development seriously and once and for all look at long-term and holistic solutions,” says general secretary Mirka Mozer.

You can apply for Christmas help from Danish Folkehjælp if you are on government subsidy and have children under the age of 18 living at home.

Danish pork greenwashing campaign goes to court in landmark case
On Monday, the pork company Danish Crown will go on trial in the Western District Court in a landmark case of greenwashing.

In 2021, Danish Crown launched a campaign using the words ‘climate-controlled pork’ and ‘Danish pork is more climate-friendly than you think’.

Shortly afterwards, Greenpeace lodged a complaint with the police, backed by the Climate Movement in Denmark and the Danish Vegetarian Association, that accused Danish Crown of misleading marketing, 

The case has been snowballing for two years, and the verdict could have a major impact on how companies are permitted to market themselves in the future.

“Now we can once and for all put an end to the matter of how companies are allowed to advertise,” says the Climate Movement in Denmark’s head of the secretariat Frederik Roland Sandby,.

Strengthening the prosecution is the support of Consumer Council Tænk, while Dansk Industri and Landbrug & Fødevarer have joined the case on Danish Crown’s side. 

Danish Crown’s press manager Jens Hansen told TV2, “regardless of whether we end up winning or losing, there is no doubt that both we and many others will come out smarter on the other side.”

He adds the company has not marketed its climate measures and progress as much as they would like, due to the uncertainty generated by the case.

“If a company like Danish Crown, which is making an effort in the area, is not able to market that work in a way that differentiates us in the cold counter, then we cannot generate the earnings that are necessary to finance it.”

Trial to decide whether Lynetteholm is illegal begins in the High Court
On 22 November, the trial to decide whether the Lynetteholm project is illegal and must be put on hold will begin in the High Court.

The lawsuit is brought by the association Climate Movement in Denmark against the state and By&Havn on the basis that Denmark has not complied with international climate and environmental laws.

The asscoiation argues that the climate, the environment and the rights of citizens have been neglected in the adoption of the Lynetteholm project. 

The case is being initiated in the High Court as it has been assessed as being ‘of great importance’ for future large construction projects’ compliance with international environmental regulations, according to Ritzau.

At the center of the legal discussion is the significant concern that the inflow of salt water via the Kongedybet to the Baltic Sea will be blocked. 

Climate Movement in Denmark has applied for suspensive effect with the desire that the construction work be stopped until the current legislation is enforced.

The court days are: 22, 27 and 28 November, as well as 5 and 6 December.