– It will require an enormous amount of all of us. The last thing we need now is uncertainty about which goal applies, says Deputy CEO Anniken Haulige in NHO to news. She aims for Norway to have two “official” climate goals for 2030. Last spring, the Solberg government announced to the UN that Norway, in line with the Paris Agreement, will cut at least 50 percent of emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The goal will be achieved together with the EU , so that we can to a certain extent pay for emission reductions in other EU countries. This goal is also written into the Climate Act. Then we got a change of government last autumn, and in the Hurdal platform, the list was raised to 55 percent cuts where everything will be taken home. The difference between the two goals is quite large, we must believe several experts. But in NHO one struggles to understand which goal actually applies. Law – or not law Hauglie believes the confusion particularly arose in the wake of the revised national budget in May. Among other things, it stated the following about the government’s “extra strict” target of 55 percent cuts domestically: This led to disappointment among many in the environmental and climate movement. If the goal was not to be reported to the UN and not to be included in the Climate Act, how binding was it then? Then, ten days later, Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth-Eide (Labor Party) apparently opened the door ajar. Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth-Eide (Labor Party) Photo: Eivind Molde / news – You could have it in the Climate Act. And that is the very possible thing we do, he is quoted in Aftenposten. He is also said to have opened up for submitting the 55 percent target to the UN in the form of a descriptive text. – There have been decisions or signals about decisions on average every 3 months. It creates a lot of uncertainty, says Hauglie. – 55 percent is what we control after the Minister of Climate Espen Barth-Eide did not even have the opportunity to comment on this matter, news is informed by the ministry’s information department. However, it has State Secretary Sigrid Hagerup Melhuus (Labor). She provides the following clarification about the government’s 55 percent target: State Secretary Sigrid Hagerup Melhuus (Labor Party) Photo: The Government – The point to the Minister of Climate is that it is possible to include it in the Climate Act or register it as part of the Paris Agreement. But it will require a lot of bureaucratic work, and we do not have a plan for that now. But the restructuring goal of a 55 percent cut is what we are aiming for, Melhuus tells news. She adds that it is not unusual for countries to have their own ambitions on top of the climate goals they have with the EU. It is very demanding to reach Yara’s plant at Herøya in Telemark, emitting more than 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Yara has plans to electrify the plant – if the government takes part of the bill. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB At the same time, it is not surprising that 55 per cent cuts within Norway’s borders are on the fringes of what many experts believe is possible. Brita Bye at Statistics Norway has worked with climate policy and measures for a number of years. Photo: Karina Rønning / Statistics Norway – Norway has a business structure with high emissions, including in the petroleum and process industry. In addition, we have a lot of emissions from transport because we are an elongated country with a scattered population, says researcher Brita Bye to news. Together with Statistics Norway colleague Taran Fæhn, she wrote an article on the topic in April. Bye points out that Norway already has 100 percent renewable power production. Thus, we can not get cheap cuts by, for example, replacing coal power plants as other countries can. If one then rejects the opportunity to buy emission cuts in other EU countries, Bye believes the task will be enormous. – Then we have to implement a number of very expensive emission cuts in industry, petroleum, transport and agriculture. It will be very demanding, if at all possible, she says. NHO fears flagging out NHO is afraid that the 55 per cent target will make it far more expensive to run a business in Norway. – If we are now to create special rules for Norwegian companies, it increases the risk that companies choose to establish themselves in countries other than Norway, Hauglie says. But Secretary of State Melhuus does not share this fear. – On the contrary. Our goal is to equip the business community for a green transition, she says. Melhuus says the government wants to achieve this through a combination of instruments. She cites taxes, climate partnerships between the state and the business community, green industrial boost and support schemes via Enova as examples. She also says that the government is fully aware that the goal of a 55 percent cut is “ambitious”. – But that does not mean that it is not right to do so, Melhuus says.
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NHO believes the government’s “climate confusion” creates uncertainty in the business community – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
