Social democrat mayors from coastal areas want forced expropriation of farmers from lowland cultivated areas

Oxygen depletion in the Danish coastal waters concerns the mayors of the coastal municipalities. One of the main reasons for oxygen depletion is the emissions of nitrogen from the cultivation of lowlands (bogs, streams, wet meadows, wetlands). 171,000 hectares of lowlands are drained and cultivated. The government aims to reduce the cultivated area of lowlands to 71,000 hectares by 2030. At the moment, it is voluntary for farmers to give up farming on lowlands. However, according to the social democrat mayors, the volunteering process will take too long, as only 187 hectares have been reclaimed so far, and forced expropriation should be implemented.