Norway takes lead on greenhouse gases

By: Athar Parvaiz on October 9th, 2009

Bangkok, Oct 8: Norway has announced that it will greatly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. International climate change negotiations are poised for progress, if the rest of the developed world follows suit.

“Norway’s announcement that it will increase its emissions reduction target to 40% by 2020 is the type of political will needed to move the climate talks forward to a strong deal in Copenhagen,” said Martin Kaiser of Greenpeace. This target is based on 1990 emission levels.

Though Norway has yet to announce the mechanisms it will use to achieve this target, the announcement comes at a crucial time and is likely to increase pressure on other industrialized nations.

“Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has shown the leadership we need from the rest of the developed world,” Kaiser added. “He has laid down a challenge to his international peers and they should take it up. Already we have seen Japan massively increase their target.”

According to Kaiser, “It’s a clear signal to President Obama to step up from the 4% target. Norway’s actions are also a blueprint for the European Union as it finalizes its own policies in the coming weeks.”

Ambassador Lumumba Di-Aping of Sudan told the Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP) that the announcement was a most welcome step. “Norway has always demonstrated its leadership and it repeated the same thing this time as well,” Apang said.

The director of the South Centre, Martin Khor, said that Norway has “always taken the lead” in tackling global issues. “Norway’s decision will play a good role to awaken the conscience of the European Union… Norway is able to take such a great step since it exists independently of the European Union,” he said.

Norway’s announcement comes at a time when the Bangkok climate change talks appear to be deadlocked on many fronts. They are one of the last rounds of talks before the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, just 59 days away.