Viking Magazine - October 2019 - 38

Ambassador's Insights
Toward a Green Transition
BY AMBASSADOR KÅRE R. AAS
hen I was growing up, Norway
wasn't the rich, oil-producing,
technologically advanced country
that you see today. The last import
restrictions on cars weren't lifted until
1960. Telephone coverage was spotty:
If you wanted a phone in your house,
you might have to wait up to two years
for a technician to come install one.
In the years since, the country has
changed a lot. We probably have the
most modern fleet of cars in the world.
And practically every household in
Norway, even in the most remote areas,
has access to broadband. But now we
have different challenges to solve-for
instance, how to make Norway a lowemission
society.
Norway's 2016 climate law requires
us to reduce our greenhouse gas
emissions by 80-95% by 2050. This
will be a tall order-but all countries
must aim high if the goals of the Paris
Agreement are to be achieved.
Our recent climate law is part of
Norway's contribution to limiting global
warming to well below 2°C. As a step
along the way, Norway aims to limit
emissions by at least 40% by 2030.
To achieve this, a serious
transformation of our society will have
to take place, a transformation that will
have consequences for all of us.
In Norway, we recognize that taking
the climate challenge seriously will
come with costs. But failing to act in
time could be even more costly. With
new business opportunities arising,
countries and businesses quick to adapt
to a low-emission society may prove to
be the most competitive in the decades
to come.
38 VIKING OCTOBER 2019 sonsofnorway.com
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As a small country with an open
economy, Norway can't do this alone.
In June, the Norwegian Parliament
approved a detailed agreement with
the European Union on how to reach
our shared climate goals. Under the
agreement, Norway will continue to
tighten the emissions trading system for
with the maritime industry, we will
move to green solutions in all segments
of shipping.
We couldn't do this alone. We don't
make the electric cars ourselves, and the
maritime industry needs a bigger market
to really go all in on green shipping.
The fact that all EU countries are
working to reduce their emissions gives
us confidence to keep setting ambitious
targets, and to challenge our business
and industry to keep innovating for
green solutions.
industry and the fossil fuel sector, while
providing incentives for the business
sector to innovate and develop lowemission
solutions. That way, Norway
contributes to reducing emissions
throughout Europe.
In most countries, one of the biggest
sources of greenhouse gas emissions
is transportation. In Norway we have
made significant progress in reducing
those emissions, in particular with
increased shares of electrical vehicles and
with electrical ferries. As of 2019, more
than 50% of new cars sold in Norway
are electric. But we need to go further.
We will continue to electrify cars,
buses and ships, and start testing electric
planes (yes, it can be done). Together
I strongly believe that a combination
of curbing emission and promoting green
competitiveness is the key to reducing
the risk of dangerous climate change for
the benefit of future generations.
Given the grave consequences
of global warming-more extreme
weather, damages to infrastructure,
reduced global food production and
possible conflicts over water and other
resources-it is in our own interest to
take the challenges seriously.
We managed to overcome the phone
shortage in Norway all those years ago.
I am convinced that we will also find
ways to drastically reduce emissions of
greenhouse gases.
About the Author
Ambassador Kåre R.
Aas currently serves as
Norway's Ambassador
to the United States.
facebook.com/
NorwegianEmbassyinWashington/
@kareraas
PHOTO BY BECCA DILLEY
http://www.facebook.com/ http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - October 2019

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