KATOWICE (Dagbladet): Norway and the EUROPEAN union took a huge leap of courage to agree on cooperation in climate policy.
the Government wants this and has according to the climate and miljøminister Ola Elvestuen had discussions with the EUROPEAN union since 2015.
In practice, this means that Norway’s target to cut 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is a binding agreement that will be carried out in cooperation with the EUROPEAN union.
the Climate and miljøminister, who is busy in a key role during the negotiations at the climate summit in Katowice, were in very good mood when he presented the news in the afternoon.
– This is important to get a tighter frame around climate policy in Norway, ” said Elvestuen.
the Agreement ensures that we implement measures that leads to a 40% reduction to 2030. Either we do it in Norway, and we can’t that we must provide for equivalent emission reductions in Europe.
If the agreement goes in the box should the EU monitor that Norway follows up the agreement and do utslippskuttene we have promised.
Would like to cut even more
the Agreement will give the Uk an annual utslippsbudsjett we are going to have to follow from 2021, in the sectors of transport, agriculture, buildings and waste.
Here is the reason why finansfolket has been concerned about the climate
It will, according to Elvestuen, be up to Norway to decide how large a share of emission reductions to be made here at home. If we are unable to cut enough at home, we will have to buy the so-called “utslippsenheter” (allowances) from other countries in Europe.
Elvestuen hold that the goal is to cut “as much as possible at home”, but we don’t go out with a number.
– If it is up to me as cuts, we more than 40 per cent at home, so we can be on the flexibility (trading with utslippsenheter, journ.anm.) from the other side, ” he says.
– There is no contradiction between a clear obligation and to set their own national targets.
Needs more action
Elvestuen was also evident on the current policies in the Uk “is not enough to achieve the goals”.
questions from the Newspaper about where the rest of the cuts needed until around 2030 to be done, he drew particular up the transport sector where the goal already is to cut 50 per cent of the emissions.
– the Transition to electric vehicles for persontransporten goes faster than expected. There is no other countries that are in the vicinity. New technology makes it possible also for tungtransporten to take the big step, with biogas and hydrogen. Then there is the shipping industry which is the next, with the electric ferries, fast ferries, and ships with ever larger battery packs, says Elvestuen.
He added that emissions must “be cut as much as possible” within the ministry of fisheries and agriculture.
Elvestuen ended pressemøtet to emphasize that, “this is good for the Uk”, and called it a “major step in the Norwegian climate policy”.
Ap: – Take everything home
Espen Barth-Eide, klimapolitisk spokesperson in the Labour party, says to Dagbladet that if we are now closer to an agreement with the EU, it is something he is happy.
the Danes will solve the “impossible” klimaproblemet
International cooperation is good, and the EU has clearly taken a leadership role on the klimafeltet. It is even more important now that the U.S. no longer has it, ” he says.
Barth-Eide is, however, critical that the agreement does not say anything about how big the cuts the Uk must do at home.
– We have no problems with that there is flexibility, but we believe that Norway must say that we will be able to achieve the goals on your own, ” he says.
the Problem with the statement “as much as possible”, believes Barth-Eide, that “it is not something objective, because it can’t be measured”.
– Then it is difficult to say in 2030 if the goal is achieved. Norway is a rich and omstillingsvillig country and we should be able to take our piece with us. By setting concrete goals inspire you also to the technology development and to apply new solutions early, which can have a positive business / political effect.
A: – Huge snag
Lars Haltbrekken, member of parliament for SV, says to Dagbladet that he fears the government will use the agreement to cut emissions in Norway, and instead let the EUROPEAN countries take the job.
– It will make that Norway still is a slow down in the international klimasamarbeidet. We do not do what we can to develop and apply technology that cuts in Norwegian emissions, and it will be a huge disadvantage for Norwegian business and industry. We will be hanging again as the last fossildrevne the business community in the world, ” he says.
– Ola Elvestuen says that if it is up to he saw the cuts we will be more than 40 per cent at home?
– It is very good, but what we have seen from his regjeringspartner Frp is that they use this to argue for doing less domestically, says Haltbrekken.
Will increase the Parisforpliktelse
the Process with the EUROPEAN union is now over in the Elvestuen call the “formal phase”. The agreement must be approved in the EU, the Parliament, the Alltinget in Iceland which is on the agreement. The goal is that it should happen at the beginning of 2019.
In addition to the agreement with the EU, Norway has also made a commitment to Parisavtalen. Also the commitment is to cut 40 percent of emissions by 2030, but during the climate summit yesterday gave the Ola Elvestuen clear signals that Norway will increase in 2020.
How much Paris-commitment shall be increased will Elvestuen not yet out.
A powerful response to the Un appeal for klimahandling Debate
