The Green Tax Package was elaborated as a means of making trade and industry
contribute to the objectives of the national energy plan, Energy 2000. Energy 2000
was passed in 1990 and called for a reduction of the CO2 emissions by 20% from
1988 to 2005. The Package aimed at reducing the Danish CO2 emissions by 3.9%
for that period (equivalent to a reduction of 2.4 million tonnes CO2). No quantitative
target was set for the VA scheme. The VA and subsidy scheme were, however,
expected to jointly reduce the Danish CO2 emissions by 1.8% (-1.1 million tonnes
CO2) for 1996-2005.