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Environment
| Solheim welcomes agreement on referendum in Sudan |
| [Norwaynews] [23.12.2009, 01:11pm, Wed. GMT] |
| “It is now important that the parties to the conflict in Sudan do their utmost to resolve the remaining problems and ensure implementation of all parts of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” said Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim. This week the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) announced that they had concluded negotiations on the new act on the referendum to be held in 2011. |
 | | | | Norway, Mexico launch joint climate funding model |
| [Norwaynews] [13.12.2009, 01:13pm, Sun. GMT] |
| Norway and Mexico on Saturday launched a joint model for climate funding at the climate change negotiations in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, said the Norwegian government. The model, which seeks to set up a Green Fund for financing climate actions in developing countries, will be built on contributions from public budgets and auctions of UN allowances, according to a press release issued by the Norwegian prime minister's office. The fund is set to start with about 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2013 and expected to reach 30 billion to 40 billion dollars by 2020. |
| | | | Warmest decade ever in Norway |
| [Norwaynews] [08.12.2009, 08:57am, Tue. GMT] |
| The average temperature in Norway has never been higher than it has been over the last 9 years. Registrations have been made across the nation, both at the coast in and the highlands. This is shown by registrations made at 10 points by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (NMI) since the year 2000. While the average temperature on the mainland has increased by from 1.0 to 1.5 degrees above the normal, on the Svalbard archipelago the temperature has risen 3 degrees above the normal. |
| | | | American Lutheran Congregation of Oslo celebrates 50 |
| [Norwaynews] [12.10.2009, 06:35am, Mon. GMT] |
| The American Lutheran Congregation (ALC) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in Oslo The ALC of Oslo is an English-speaking, ecumenical congregation affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its ministry is directed to the permanent English-speaking residents of the city, as well as short-term residents, embassy personnel, foreign students, refugees, and tourists. The first service at ALC was held in October, 1958. The work of organizing the new congregation was placed in the hands of Dr. Oscar C. Hanson. His dedicated labors through two years of work laid a strong foundation for the congregation, writes ALC on its website. |
| | | | ”Climate agreement should include reduced deforestation” |
| [Norwaynews] [24.09.2009, 07:27pm, Thu. GMT] |
| At a meeting in New York on September 23, heads of state and government from all over the world underlined the need for an agreement to reduce deforestation in developing countries. ”Emissions from deforestation represent close to 20 per cent of the world’s total amount of greenhouse gas emissions. In order to halt climate changes, we must succeed in halting deforestation and forest degradation,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg says. With the UN Secretary General, the leader of the World Bank, the British Prime Minister, the US Secretary of State, the EU Presidency and leaders from a number of affected countries, Prime Minister Stoltenberg discussed the need to include reduced deforestation in a global climate agreement at the summit in Copenhagen in December. |
| | | | Above the Arctic Circle, Ban sees first-hand view of climate change’s impact |
| [Norwaynews] [02.09.2009, 05:20pm, Wed. GMT] |
| Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has traveled above the Arctic Circle today to experience first-hand the impact of climate change on the fragile region, as fewer than 100 days remain before the start of the United Nations conference where countries will aim to reach a new agreement on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Having departed the Norwegian capital, Oslo, yesterday, Mr. Ban made his way to the Svalbard archipelago off the northern coast, where today he visited research stations and met with scientists, who updated him on the latest science regarding ice-melting. He stopped at a Norwegian Zeppelin station, a research centre where air in the Arctic region is monitored for various purposes, including determining the effect of greenhouse gases. |
| | | | Climate change focus of discussions with the UN Secretary-General |
| [Norwaynews] [31.08.2009, 06:07pm, Mon. GMT] |
“I am very pleased to welcome UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to Norway and to have the opportunity to discuss with him how we can work together to address some of the most pressing global challenges of today,” the Prime Minister said after his meeting with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Prime Minister met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Oslo today to discuss the climate change negotiations and how the UN and Norway can contribute to a strong agreement in Copenhagen in December. “I am a cautious optimist when it comes to succeeding in Copenhagen. While I am concerned about the slow pace of the negotiations, I believe we are on the right track. I commend the Secretary-General for his initiative to bring world leaders together in a High Level event on climate change in New York on 22 September.”
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| | | | European Co-pro Convention ‘Around the Corner' For Norway |
| [Norwaynews] [24.08.2009, 12:55pm, Mon. GMT] |
| Nina Refseth, (photo) Head of the Norwegian Film Institute, was in Cannes this week to meet with her European counterparts and to tell them that the ratification by the Norwegian government of the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production is ‘around the corner". "This means it could happen by August, or hopefully, before our elections on September 14," specified Refseth. "Joining the European Co-production Convention will make a huge difference for Norwegian producers," she continued. "So far, it's been a problem for them to find production partners in Europe - outside the Nordic region. |
| | | | Clean-up continues after vessel leaking oil off Norway |
| [Norwaynews] [01.08.2009, 08:14pm, Sat. GMT] |
Clean-up crews continued containing and cleaning up oil, following a Panama-registered vessel ran aground off Norway's southern coast early Friday, according to reports reaching here from Oslo Saturday. About 200 tons of heavy oil has already leaked from the vessel, which carried about 1200 tons of heavy fuel oil when it struck the rocks, reported the Norwegian news agency NTB. |
| | | | The Norwegian Government proposes new legislation on offshore renewable energy |
| [Norwaynews] [28.06.2009, 09:19pm, Sun. GMT] |
| The Norwegian Government today presents a new act on offshore renewable energy. The proposal also includes a national strategy on offshore renewable energy. “This is an historic day. Offshore wind energy may become the next adventure for the Norwegian industry and energy sector. Through the proposed act and the strategy for offshore renewable energy the Government establishes a framework and future possibilities for a new green industry,” says the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Terje Riis-Johansen. |
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| Solheim to lead COP15 committee |
| [Norwaynews] [15.12.2009, 07:09pm, Tue. GMT] |
| At the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, the Norwegian Minister for the Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, will chair a committee which will deal with questions involving shipping, air travel and trade. Solheim was appointed head of the committee at Monday's meeting of the Copenhagen Summit, and will lead the work together with Singapore. The work will mean consulting all countries which have an interest in integrating these fields in a Climate Agreement, Solheim says. |
| | | | High ambitions for Norwegian climate research |
| [Norwaynews] [08.12.2009, 06:14pm, Tue. GMT] |
There is no longer any doubt that human activity is contributing substantially to global climate change. What is needed now is knowledge - about causal relationships and effects, potential measures, and how to adapt to a new reality. This is where climate researchers enter the picture. “Norway has climate researchers with top-level international standing in many areas,” states Siri Hatlen, who is heading the Government-appointed Klima 21 forum.
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| | | | Norway pledges $250M to protect Guyana's jungles |
| [Norwaynews] [10.11.2009, 02:11pm, Tue. GMT] |
| How much is the lush forest in the South American country of Guyana worth? At least $30 million, if you ask Norway's government. The European nation plans to pay Guyana that amount _ and possibly up to $250 million if the government's fight against deforestation leads to a cut in greenhouse gas emissions and to reduced poverty. The U.S. environmental group Conservation International announced the agreement Monday. |
| | | | Norway again rated top country to live in |
| [Norwaynews] [05.10.2009, 07:27am, Mon. GMT] |
| Norway has again been rated as the best country in the world to live in on the United Nations Development Index. Australia is second on the UNDP ranking list, and Iceland third. All the Nordic countries are found among the top 20 nations on the ranking list. Sweden is 7th, Finland 12th and Denmark 16th. France rejoined the top 10 countries after dropping down for one year, while Luxembourg fell from the top 10. |
| | | | Norway in forefront to improve health for women and children |
| [Norwaynews] [24.09.2009, 07:26pm, Thu. GMT] |
| At a meeting at the UN in New York on September 23, rich and poor countries pledged a total of USD 5.3 billion to improve the health of mothers and children in the world’s 49 poorest countries. “Worldwide a child dies every three seconds; a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth every minute. These lives may be saved if mothers are able to give birth in clinics. That is why Norway in 2008 granted NOK 3.1 billion to establish good health care for newborn children and mothers in developing countries. This includes health sector support targeted for women and particular deceases,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said at today’s meeting at the UN. |
| | | | Ban expresses shock at rate at which Arctic glaciers are retreating |
| [Norwaynews] [02.09.2009, 07:35am, Wed. GMT] |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday he was "alarmed" by the rate at which the Arctic's glaciers are retreating as he visited the region ahead of key climate talks in December. Ban said world leaders had a "moral political responsibility" to safeguard the future of the planet. "I am very much alarmed and surprised to have seen these glaciers all worn," he told journalists as he visited the Ny-Aalesund climate change research station in the Svalbard archipelago, located 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from the North Pole. "Unless we take urgent action to stem this trend, we maybe virtually ice-free by 2037, even by 2030," he said. |
| | | | Minister Erik Solheim was accidentally stabbed |
| [Norwaynews] [29.08.2009, 12:58pm, Sat. GMT] |
Environment Minister Erik Solheim (SV) was stabbed in the arm with the scissors and driven by ambulance to the emergency Hospital during an election event in Oslo on Saturday afternoon. Solheim attended an event sponsored by environmental organizations in the campaign "Climate, from the south", and it was the Minister himself who injured himself Scissors when he would puncture a balloon.
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| | | | DONG Energy Builds Wind Farm in Northern Norway |
| [Norwaynews] [07.08.2009, 08:15pm, Fri. GMT] |
DONG Energy has decided to build and run the Norwegian onshore wind farm Nygårdsfjell 2 in the Narvik municipality in Northern Norway. The wind farm is owned by the company Nordkraft Vind AS, which is owned 50/50 together with the Norwegian company Nordkraft. The farm will have a capacity of between 25.3 and 33 MW. Since 2002 DONG Energy has owned 33% of the hydro power company Nordkraft, and therefore totally owns 67% of Nygårdsfell 2.
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| | | | 47 Stations were closed |
| [Norwaynews] [22.07.2009, 11:46am, Wed. GMT] |
| The number of gas (petrol) stations in Norway has been reduced by 622 over the past 10 years, according to fresh figures from the Norwegian Petroleum Institute. Last year alone 47 stations were closed. Now we must keep open the ones we still have. We will not manage with fewer gas stations, says a concerned Marit Helene Pedersen, regional director of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise in Finnmark County. |
| | | | Children’s houses established in Norway |
| [Norwaynews] [19.06.2009, 11:53am, Fri. GMT] |
| A year and a half after the first children’s house was established in Norway, almost 700 children who have been exposed or subjected to abuse have received assistance, care and treatment at children’s houses nationwide. “I am pleased to be able to confirm that the children’s houses are functioning as intended, and that children who are exposed to violence and abuse are now receiving all the help they need at one and the same location,” says the Norwegian Minister of Justice, Knut Storberget. |
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Special Interest
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Akershus
The world's larges tobacco company Phillip Morris International (PMI) is taking the Norwegian state to court. PMI wants the Norwegian ban on displaying tobacco products in stores lifted, Dagens Næringsliv reports. There is no scientific evidence that the ban has any health effect, says PMI communication director Anne Edwards to the newspaper. She points to Iceland, which introduced the ban against the display of tobacco in stores in 2001.
