Reports

This edition of the Reader’s Companion accompanies Skills Matter: Additional Results from the Survey of Adult Skills that reports the results from the 39 countries and regions that participated in the 3 rounds of data collection in the first cycle of PIAAC, with a particular focus on the 6 countries that participated in the third round of the study (Ecuador, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Peru and the United States). It describes the design and methodology of the survey and its relationship to other international assessments of young students and adults. The Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), was designed to provide insights into the availability of some key skills in society and how they are used at work and at home. The first survey of its kind, it directly measures proficiency in several information-processing skills – namely literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.

Denmark's energy and carbon intensities are among the lowest in the OECD area. Green taxation as a share of GDP is the highest in the OECD, and the country is a leader in eco-innovation. Denmark has also achieved impressive results in the material recovery of most waste streams and reached a political agreement to move to a circular economy. It is an international standard setter for chemical risk assessment. However, municipal waste generation remains the highest in the OECD area. Many bodies of water do not reach good ecological status. Levels of exposure to fine particles remain above international standards. Terrestrial biodiversity suffers from the lack of well-connected protected areas. Further steps will need to be taken to achieve the stated goal of a climate neutral economy by 2050. This is the third Environmental Performance Review of Denmark. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with special features on waste, materials management and the circular economy and chemicals management.

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, commonly known as the Nordic countries, have been leaders in the development of modern family and gender policy, and the explicit promotion of gender equality at home, at work, and in public life. Today, on many measures, they boast some of the most gender-equal labour markets in the OECD.This report shows that improvements in gender equality have contributed considerably to economic growth in the Nordic countries. Increases in female employment alone are estimated to account for anywhere between roughly 0.05 and 0.40 percentage points to average annual GDP per capita growth – equivalent to 3 to 20% of total GDP per capita growth over the past 50 years or so, depending on the country.The Nordic countries are closer than most to achieving gender equality in the labour market. But the last mile may well prove to be the longest one. To make further progress, a continued assessment of the effectiveness of existing public policies and workplace practices is needed. Only with resolve and a continued focus can Nordic countries ensure that men and women contribute to their economies and societies in gender equal measure. 

Under Action 14, countries have committed to implement a minimum standard to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP). The MAP is included in Article 25 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and commits countries to endeavour to resolve disputes related to the interpretation and application of tax treaties. The Action 14 Minimum Standard has been translated into specific terms of reference and a methodology for the peer review and monitoring process. The minimum standard is complemented by a set of best practices. The peer review process is conducted in two stages.  Stage 1 assesses countries against the terms of reference of the minimum standard according to an agreed schedule of review. Stage 2 focuses on monitoring the follow-up of any recommendations resulting from jurisdictions' stage 1 peer review report. This report reflects the outcome of the stage 1 peer review of the implementation of the Action 14 Minimum Standard by Denmark, which is accompanied by a document addressing the implementation of best practices which can be accessed on the OECD website.

The Nordic region is at the forefront of the global growth of electric mobility. The Nordic Electric Vehicle Outlook (NEVO) aims to identify and discuss recent developments of electric mobility in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The report assesses the current status of the electric car market, the deployment of charging infrastructure, and the integration with the electricity grid at country level. It analyses the role of European, national, and local policy frameworks in supporting these developments. The analysis also provides insights on consumer behaviour and includes an outlook on the progress of electric mobility in the Nordic region up to 2030. NEVO has been developed in co-operation between the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Nordic Energy Research. It builds on the long-standing IEA engagement in the area of electric mobility, including the co-ordination of the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) and the hosting of the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technology Collaboration Programme.

Denmark has a long tradition of setting ambitious national energy targets. In 2030, renewables should cover at least half of the country’s total energy consumption. By 2050, Denmark aims to be a low-carbon society independent of fossil fuels. The country is moving convincingly to meet these world-leading targets. The International Energy Agency’s latest review of Denmark’s energy policies focuses on two interrelated issues: how to integrate increasing volumes of variable renewable energy in the power system beyond its current share of 45%, and how to decarbonise the heating sector. Electricity generation in Denmark has changed fundamentally over the past two decades. Coal generation has been vastly eroded, and the bulk of power generation now comes from wind and bioenergy. Supported by a flexible domestic power system and a high level of interconnection, Denmark is now widely recognised as a global leader in integrating variable renewable energy while at the same time maintaining a highly reliable and secure electrical-power grid. The heating sector is also critical for Denmark’s low-carbon ambitions. Denmark’s large-scale use of combined heat and power plants with heat storage capacity, and the increasing deployment of wind power offer great potential for efficient integration of heat and electricity systems. However, policies and regulations need to be aligned to realise that potential. Finding the right levels of energy taxation is particularly important. Denmark has successfully decoupled its economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions, thanks to a combination of energy efficiency improvements, and fuel switching to renewables. As in all countries, more needs to be done to limit emissions from transport.