the Norwegian oil and gassnæring love to show to the NRK tv-series “Lykkeland”. The trade association of the Norwegian oil and gas has mass-produced promotional videos for various aspects of the Norwegian velstandsutvikling, and hooked on emneknaggen #lykkeland. I share in a way enthusiasm, and has benket me to follow the excellent, karakterdrevne series.
But there is one aspect of the “Lykkeland” which really fits well with the PR-strategy of the oil industry.
Some of the series ‘ strength, and the cause of the gravitational pull on us viewers, is that it shows how the adept, the Norwegian authorities have stood against the pressure from foreign oil companies. So we could build up a separate industry, and make the most of the revenue itself. Screaming and hoiing, cowboyhatter and lisseslips, it tilted not our man of the stick.
today is passing a similar battle, but on other terms. While visionary, Norwegian politicians in the 60’s and 70’s fought for the Norwegian industry and the community’s resources, it is the knowledge that it soon must end that now forms the ideas about the future. And hoiingen does not come in wide sørstatsdialekt, but in the midst finnmarking from Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen in the Norwegian oil and gas.
Norwegian government the main task of the day, in the face with an eager and resourceful industry, is to ensure that the Norwegian oil adventure does not end in a nightmare. In the nightmare we are like the last on the market, and offer a product that increasingly few will seek. In the nightmare is a oil and gassavhengig economy on the way to 2050, where the emissions in the world should be halved. In such a scenario, the oil and gas business is able to destroy as much of the Norwegian economy, as it has been a blessing until now. Norway needs to get more legs to stand on, the oil must be phased out and emissions must come down. It realize more and more. The political fighting to get it to is now a small conference hotel in Hadeland under regjeringsforhandlingene between the left, Right, Left and KrF.
“Lykkeland” season to have many dramatic and nice scenes. At the house of literature yesterday morning stood Schjøtt-Pedersen and spoke about the new rekordinvesteringer in the Norwegian oil and gas activities. Provided, of course, that the government does not change the framework conditions. When things go wrong. Just as the Shell representative in the “Lykkeland” season one storms out of the saddle when the rogaland’s-bench votes for a norskvennlig suggestions, Schjøtt-Pedersen react with dismay if the Left get through their demands for severe restrictions in oljeskatteregimet under regjeringsforhandlingene, or a limitation of the new of letearealer.
Season one has an interesting political dimension. The male action heroes and pragmatic Right-the mayor of Stavanger, Arne Rettedal, embrace the party’s ideas about a nationally oriented oil policy. In our time, more and more politicians embrace green ideas.
It is perhaps about tidsånd, it’s all about development in the popular opinion (1/3 will now have end more of the Norwegian oil exploration), but it is first and foremost about the bare facts. The un klimapanels 1,5-gradersrapport last fall shows that there is a big difference to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees. It has implications for oljelandet. The 1.5-degree goal provides space for far less oil and gas than the 2-degree goal. Before christmas let also the government’s Klimarisikoutvalg presented its report. The committee recommends the systematic reporting of climate risks in the public and private sectors, and particularly points out the need in the petroleum sector. The government must establish, maintain and publish a set of scenarios for oil prices, gas prices, and CO2 prices, which reflect the ambitions of the Paris agreement. This move will have to be taken in as a part of the platform of the new government, and it should be the climate and miljødepartementet who manages it.
Current financial risk assessment of planned oil and gassprosjekter will certainly be perceived as enough of a threat for the industry. It tightens to. Hoiingen will continue. But there is no reason that the oil industry should be the badguy in season two of “Lykkeland” rather, if they who in season one accepts the limitations society puts. And all look the it: the sjarmerede finnmarkingen Karl Erik Schjøtt-Pedersen has all the characteristics to be underlie of handwritten which turns and becomes totally during season two.
