Bellona plans to make Norway carbon negative by 2050

May 8, 2009

As Bellona kicked off its annual conference President Frederic Hauge (left) hands over the Bellona produced “Norway’s All-Encompassing Climate Plan” to Norwegian Environmental Minister Erik Solheim. Photo: Anne Karin Sæther/Bellona.

Norwegian Environmental Minister Erik Solheim on Wednesday May 7 accepted “Norway’s all-encompassing climate plan” by Bellona – the foundation’s road map to making the country completely emissions free by 2040, and emissions negative by 2050, far exceeding the United Nations suggestion that countries cut emissions by 80 percent by mid century.

Bellona’s president, Frederic Hauge, says that by making across-the-board cuts in all emissions producing sectors, the comprehensive Bellona plan shows how Norway can become a “modern, future-oriented and emissions free society.” With its plan, Bellona hopes to give all who are interested the opportunity to discuss not just emissions reductions, but also how to make these concrete, and to send the climate plan to a government hearing within a month’s time. Bellona is also throwing down the gauntlet to politicians to take the climate debate with them into this autumn’s elections.

Solheim impressed

“I am incredibly impressed over Bellona’s work,” said Solhiem, and promised to consider scheduling a consultative statement to be held on the climate plan. Solhiem was pleased to receive a solution oriented approach, and shares Bellona’s opinion that it is urgent to set efforts in motion to prevent global warming.

“This is only a question of political will,” said Solheim.

What the plan encompasses

Norway’s all-encompassing climate plan contains proposals for a “Superbus,” an environmentally friendly auto tax, organisation of new renewable energy build-outs, environmentally friendly emphasis on industry, electrification and CO2 capture and storage for gasworks and large industrial emissions sources.

The Environmental Foundation Bellona is an international environmental organization established in 1986 and based in Oslo, Norway. It primarily functions as a nuclear watchdog focusing on developments in Russia (Bellona has branches in Murmansk and Saint Petersburg). The organization also has offices in Washington, D.C. and Brussels. In 2007 TIME magazine presented Frederic Hauge, President of The Bellona Foundation, as one of some 40 selected heroes of the environment around the world.