There is still a long way to go before Norway reaches the goals of the Paris Agreement. In it, we have committed to cutting 55 percent of emissions from 1990 levels by 2030.
From 2022 to 2023, emissions decreased by 2.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents – a reduction of 4.7 per cent, figures from Statistics Norway.
– The decline in 2023 can be explained by electrification in oil and gas production, more electric cars on the roads and lower activity in industry, says senior advisor Trude Melby Bothner.
Oil, industry and road traffic have accounted for the largest emissions in the period since 1990. The industry has adopted technology and reduced emissions by 43.5 per cent since then.
Increased oil and traffic emissions
In 2007, Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions reached a peak, with the oil and gas industry accounting for 27 per cent of total emissions. Low activity led to the emissions leveling off after this year, and from 2015 the emissions have had a downward trend. Here, measures such as energy efficiency and electrification have contributed to the decline.
But despite these measures, emissions from this industry are 40 per cent higher now than in 1990. This is because production has increased.
Emissions from road traffic increased steadily until 2007. After the financial war around 2008 and 2009 and the effects of climate measures have helped to reduce emissions growth.
The fact that more and more people have switched to driving electric cars has also led to lower combustion emissions in recent years. Despite the decline at the end of the period, emissions from road traffic were 8 per cent higher in 2023 than in 1990.
Requires more work
Climate and Environment Minister Tore O. Sandvik (Ap) acknowledges that Norway still has a job to do to cut emissions.
– Norway must fulfill our obligations in the Paris Agreement with a targeted, realistic and fair climate policy. The emissions arrows point in the right direction, but measures, regulations and policies are still required to reach the targets, and equip Norwegian value creation and business for the low-emission society, he writes in an email.
He emphasizes that the Statistics Norway figures are pleasing, and that every tonne and every tenth that cuts global warming counts.
– Every year we must do more to cut emissions. It will take time before we see all the results, but we will reach the target we have reported to the UN in the Paris Agreement. We will create jobs and cut emissions, writes Sandvik.
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