This article examines the development of Danish climate policy since the late 1980s through a contextual intellectual history analysis. Four key climate policy ideas are highlighted: sustainable development, climate scepticism, ecological modernization, and climate justice. The article argues that for most of the period, Danish climate policy has been dominated by ideas of ecological modernization and continued economic growth. Although there have been shorter periods of increased momentum and popular mobilization, such as COP15 in 2009 and the climate election in 2019, the development can be described as one of relative stability. However, a new generation of activist social movements and other green actors have recently brought a renewed focus on issues of climate justice and critiques of economic growth as central themes in the continued development of Danish climate policy.