ECOLOGICAL central planning is what Denmark's ruling social democrats have hit upon by way of ideology. And its most ardent proponent is the minister for energy and the environment, Svend Auken, who's looking for more regulation to preserve the ecosystem. According to Auken, Denmark must take the lead in the world by becoming -an ecological experimentariurn for a new lifestyle". In a 574-page document, Auken introduces his theory of a global "ecological space- - resources that can be used without stealing from future generations or from the poor nations. To offset the almost unbearable drain on the environment which will accompan@ improvements in living standards in the poor countries, Auken expects the industrial world to come forward with a voluntary cut in its living standards To ensure that the cut is evenly distributed and efficiently carried out, it needs to be centrally planned, he says.

Auken plans to go some steps ahead and propose to the European Union that environmental considerations should take precedence over free trade regulations in the internal market. However, Auken's ideas, and the sacrifice they entail, may not find favour among his own country-people.