When E24’s community editor Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Framtiden i våre hender manager Anja Bakken Riise and news’s economic commentator Cecilie Langum Becker are to find a bright spot from 2023, they agree on a lot. But not everything. Cross-political agreement – It is not so easy to find these bright spots, says Isaksen and continues: – But one bright spot is when the Storting came together on the Nansen programme. It is an aid package for Ukraine with a framework of around NOK 75 billion, which the Storting as a whole stood behind. Isaksen admits that the backdrop for the support package is bleak. – But the fact that politicians in Norway manage to come together to stand up for something when it is really needed is a bright spot. Torbjørn Røe Isaksen is community editor at E24. He highlights the cross-party agreement on an aid package for Ukraine as a bright spot. Photo: Jorunn Hatling / news The interest rate peak has (perhaps) been reached – This is a slightly disguised bright spot, says economic commentator Becker. She says a lot suggests that the period of interest rate hikes is behind us, with concerns that there may be a final interest rate hike, if we have reached the interest rate level we will be at for a while. She believes that makes everyday life more predictable for both ordinary people and businesses. – The business community in particular believes this could be a turning point for the housing market and for some companies. It can be a positive catalyst for the economy. Cecilie Langum Becker, economic commentator at news, says that we are probably done with interest rate hikes is a slightly disguised bright spot. Photo: Jorunn Hatling / news Climate-conscious municipalities Anja Bakken Riise from Framtiden i våre hände believes that Norwegian municipalities deserve credit for the efforts they have made for the climate. – In Norwegian municipalities, the latest figures show that two out of three municipalities have reduced their emissions from 2009 to the present day. And as many as 80 municipalities say they will stop the loss of nature in their municipality. Just three years ago, there were only three municipalities with this type of plan. According to Riise, the positive change comes in the wake of a global nature agreement that came into place last year. – Now I see that “thinking globally, acting locally” is about converting the big ideas into something we can do with them here at home. Anja Bakken Riise from Framtida i vår hälde believes there were several climate bright spots this year. Photo: Jorunn Hatling / news Climate investment in the USA Becker believes that in the USA, through the “Inflation Reduction Act”, they should spend several hundred billion dollars to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The money will also be used to promote green energy and electrification on a large scale. Becker believes that this is a bright spot. The measure has received both applause and criticism. It is because part of the package is such that you do not receive benefits if, for example, the car or battery you make is not produced in the USA. Isaksen believes that this is not a bright spot. He believes it facilitates a subsidy race. – There will be no more green conversion by moving green production from Europe to the USA. It is something positive, but indisputably good news, it is not, he says. The panel agreed on much, but not everything, when they had to select some bright spots from 2023. Photo: Jorunn Hatling / news India to the moon – India has been described as the “land of the future”. This year they have become the world’s most populous country, and have had impressive economic growth, says Isaksen about why India is a bright spot. He also highlights a more symbolic event: In August, India became the fourth country to land a vessel on the moon. – This is a bright spot for insiders. And there are so many of them that it is good news for the world. This year, India became the fourth country to land a craft on the moon, when Chandrayaan 3 landed completely on the lunar surface. Photo: Aijaz Rahi / AP Ecuador says “no” to oil exploration Riise from The future in our hands finds its bright spot in Latin America. In August this year, there was a referendum on whether or not to say “no” to all new oil extraction and simultaneously withdraw all existing oil licenses in the Yasuni National Park. 60 percent wanted an end to oil extraction in the national park. – It is a large model car. Here is a country that struggles with debt and low GDP, but still sees that oil is not the future, says Riise. In Ecuador, they say no to oil exploration in the Yasuni National Park. Here is a member of a tribe in the national park during a demonstration earlier this year. Photo: AFP Good news from 2023 In addition to the highlights, the panelists each brought with them a piece of good news, which gives hope for the future. Medicine against pregnancy nausea Becker believes that researchers have now discovered that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is due to a single hormone. If one can now make a medicine that blocks this hormone’s effect on the brain, it will mean a lot to many people all over the world. Soon you will be able to repair mobile phones and tablets yourself Riise points to a new EU regulation which means that from 2027 it will only be legal to sell mobile phones, tablets and computers where you can replace the battery and individual components yourself, without using special tools. She thinks it will make me throw away less electronics. It will be good for the climate, and it will make us less dependent on minerals and resources from China for the production of electronic products. Taylor Swift and her Eras tour are breaking records. Photo: Reuters Isaksen thinks Taylor Swift and her Eras tour are good news. The Swift tour is the most profitable tour in world history, and according to Isaksen, has “enough power in it to boost economic activity in the countries it arrives at”. The phenomenon has been named “funflation”.
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These are the highlights in 2023 – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
