Residents of Faxe Ladeplads face an impossible situation. Their coastal community suffered severe flooding during a major storm, yet authorities denied them funding for protective measures. The reason? Their homes are not valuable enough to qualify for state support.
Lars Jørgen Hansen and Susanne Skjold Pedersen experienced the devastation firsthand. Water reached their front door during the storm, forcing emergency evacuation. They lost possessions and had to relocate for months during repairs. Their property, valued at 2.4 million Danish kroner, sits directly facing the beach in this South Zealand community.
The Coastal Directorate uses a complex algorithm to determine funding eligibility. This system weighs potential economic losses from flooding against protection costs. Areas only qualify as 'risk sections' if projected financial damages exceed a set threshold. Faxe Ladeplads fell short because of its modest property values.
TV 2's investigation revealed a startling calculation. If property values in Faxe Ladeplads were just 10% higher, the town would have qualified for the 8.3 million kroner protection project it sought. The current system means wealthier coastal areas receive disproportionate support.
Dorthe Egede Borg, chair of Faxe Municipality's Technical and Environmental Committee, expressed outrage. She called it direct discrimination against provincial communities. Municipal finances cannot cover such projects independently, creating an impossible situation for less affluent areas.
Research from DTU confirms this creates systematic inequality. Eight of the ten municipalities with highest flood risk are among Denmark's poorest by average income. The communities needing protection most struggle most to afford it.
Environmental Minister Magnus Heunicke responded to criticism by agreeing to discuss lowering thresholds. But this doesn't address the fundamental issue, critics note. The system still prioritizes property wealth over community safety.
For residents like Susanne Skjold Pedersen, the emotional toll continues. She gets a lump in her throat whenever water levels rise. The couple remains haunted by returning to their flooded home, where artificial candles still burned and their cat had taken refuge on a high cabinet.
The situation highlights a difficult truth about climate adaptation. Limited resources force difficult choices, but current criteria appear to penalize working-class coastal communities. As climate change increases flood risks, this funding model may leave vulnerable populations exposed.
Denmark's coastal protection funding has distributed 662 million kroner since 2020. The largest project, North Coast's Future, received 87 million kroner to protect three wealthy North Zealand municipalities. The disparity raises questions about equitable resource distribution in climate adaptation planning.