Monday, November 10, 2025
Science

ICE NORWAY TO DEPLOY AMDOCS ACTIXONE AND TECHINSIGHTS

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Amdocs has signed a multi-year agreement with ICE Norway for the deployment of its ActixOne and TechInsights software solutions to support ICE’s network expansion and digital transformation initiatives.

ICE has a range of mobile service offerings and is in the midst of a significant network buildout programme for its existing and newly acquired 5G spectrum. Amdocs systems will help automate activities for planning, building, launching, monitoring and optimising radio access network sites. Additionally, Amdocs’ analytics-driven platform will aid in predicting network issues and prioritising remediation actions based on key business parameters.

“By continuing to disrupt and improve the Norwegian mobile market successfully, and offer expanded coverage and high-performance services, we can ensure our customers great value for money,” said Jan-Erik Hvidsten, CTIO, ICE Norway. “With Amdocs’ advanced technology and deep experience in network automation and analytics, we plan to aggressively grow our network and market share with more efficiency and intelligence than our competitors.”

Service providers across the world continue to have fragmented network deployment and operations processes, often supported by ad-hoc tools, scripts and manual steps. Yet, in order to address market demands, operators are executing a range of digitalisation strategies to implement new software systems and methodologies that significantly automate and streamline the network rollout and optimisation activities across multiple departments and teams.

“Amdocs is changing the speed and economics of RAN deployment with our intelligent automation and data-driven network insights capabilities,” said Anthony Goonetilleke, group president of media, network and technology at Amdocs. “We are pleased to be partnering with ICE Norway to accelerate their growth through network deployment and optimisation solutions that drive towards a zero-touch approach, provide complete end-to-end visibility and control, and accelerate automation and integration for the new 5G and cloud networks era.”

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Asia and Norway

Kazakh President Proposes reforms to strengthen Parliamentarism

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed further political modernization and outlined his 2021 priorities for the Kazakh Parliament and government at the Jan. 15 opening of the first session of the Parliament of the seventh convocation.

At the end of the last parliamentary elections, two Kazakh political parties were just a few percent away from earning seats in the Majilis (lower house of the Parliament). The President proposed to reduce the mandatory vote threshold from seven to five percent for more political parties to be able to enter the Majilis and, thereby, increase the political competition.

Kazakhstan’s President-elect Kassym-Jomart Tokayev speaks to the media after presidential elections in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan, on Monday June 10, 2019 . 

“The time has come to make such a decision. Such a rule will stimulate legally registered parties to participate in the next elections,” he said. “This initiative will expand representation, and allow us to take into account the opinion of the widest possible layers of the population when developing state policy.”

In addition to that, he proposed to return the option “none of the above” to the ballots because “the concept of alternative views and voting against all should be considered normal in Kazakhstan.”

The President informed the citizenry about the upcoming akim (governor) elections in rural districts in Kazakhstan. These elections should “strengthen the system of local self-government at the grassroots level,” he stressed.

The Jan. 10 Kazakh parliamentary elections coincided with Kazakhstan’s 30th anniversary year of independence. In this historical year, Tokayev called on the deputies to focus their efforts on building “an effective state and a just society.”

“The main priority is to improve the quality of life and increase the well-being of citizens. The people are waiting for a full return and concrete results from the socio-economic programs we have implemented,” he said.

Tokayev instructed the Parliament to make every effort to develop the rule of law and strengthen government approval.

“The essence of reforms in this area lies in the reasonable decentralization of the system, modernization of the state apparatus, optimization of the quasi-public sector, and digitization of all procedures. Thus, the state apparatus will become as compact, open, and efficient as possible, and the decision-making process will become flexible and transparent. Socio-economic development is impossible without proper protection of the rights of citizens,” Tokayev said.

The President also stressed the importance of modernizing social policies, education, healthcare, and pension systems. In addition to this, Tokayev instructed the Kazakh government to prioritize the progressive growth of the national economy, continue countercyclical macroeconomic policies to support economic activity, as well as to focus on creating favorable conditions for doing business.

“Given the dynamic transformation of the labor market, it is necessary to stimulate the flow of labor from low-productivity to more productive sectors of the economy. As I said earlier, the industry of our country should be flexible and adaptable to change,” said Tokayev.

Another priority will be the infrastructure connecting regions, cities, districts, and villages. According to him, the government will modernize more than 3,500 villages and repair roads between villages and all national highways.

Tokayev concluded that the Parliament is the locus of all activities aimed at protecting the interests of the country. He called on the deputies to make decisions with a sense of the highest responsibility and to always remember that the Kazakh people expect positive changes.

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Environment

World first as electric cars outsell internal combustion counterparts in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

OSLO, NORWAY – The sale of electric cars in Norway overtook those powered by petrol, diesel and hybrid engines last year, with Volkswagen replacing Tesla as the top battery-vehicle producer, new data showed on Tuesday.

So-called battery electric vehicles (BEV) made up 54.3 percent of all new cars sold in the Nordic country in 2020, a global record, up from 42.4 percent in 2019 and from a mere 1% of the overall market a decade ago, the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) said.

Seeking to become the first nation to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2025, oil-producing Norway exempts fully electric vehicles from taxes imposed on those relying on fossil fuels.

The policy has turned the country’s car market into a laboratory for carmakers seeking a path to a future without internal combustion engines, vaulting new brands and models to the top of best seller lists in recent years.

While the sale of BEVs had broken the 50 percent mark in individual months, 2020 was the first time that fully electric cars outsold the combined volume of models containing internal combustion engines for a year as a whole.

“We’re definitely on track to reach the 2025 target,” OFV Chief Executive Oeyvind Thorsen told a news conference.

BEV sales accelerated in the final months of 2020, hitting its highest level for any single month in December, with a 66.7 percent share of the car market.

Audi topped the 2020 leaderboard with its e-tron SUV and Sportback models as the most popular new passenger cars in Norway last year, while Tesla’s mid-sized Model 3, the 2019 winner, was relegated to second place, ahead of Volkswagen’s ID.3.

Electric vehicle sales are set to continue to soar in 2021, industry analysts and car distributors said, as more models are brought to the market.

“Our preliminary forecast is for electric cars to surpass 65 percent of the market in 2021,” said Christina Bu who heads the Norwegian EV Association, an interest group. “If we manage that,the goal of selling only zero-emission cars in 2025 will be within reach.”

Tesla’s mid-sized SUV, the Model Y, is set to reach the Norwegian market this year, as are the first electric SUVs from Ford, BMW and Volkswagen.

By contrast, cars with diesel-only engines have tumbled from a peak of 75.7% of the overall Norwegian market in 2011 to just 8.6% last year.

New car sales in the country last year were 141 412, of which 76 789 were fully electric.

While the electric market share will keep rising, there is uncertainty around how many cars producers will allocate to Norway as European demand is increasing, said Harald Frigstad, chief executive at Norwegian car importer Bertel O Steen.

Prominent carmakers including Daimler and PSA have predicted that around 70 percent of their sales would be of fully electric models in 2021.

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Media Freedom

EU has passed a uniform set of drone rules, paving the way for easier flight

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

On December 31st, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) passed a new set of uniform drone regulations for the European Union (EU). EU member states along with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as well as the United Kingdom, now fall under the same regulatory blanket. Before, each country had its own set of rules. Now if you’re traveling from France to Italy, for example, the same laws for safely and legally operating a drone apply. 

EASA’s uniform regulations cover both hobbyist and commercial drone operators. Small drones will now need to be registered so authorities can trace reckless flying back to the owners. There are three categories covering standard requirements for both operators and their drones:

  • Low-risk or open-category drones will not require authorization but will be subject to strict operational limitations
  • Medium-risk or specific-category drones will have to have authorization from the national aviation authority on the basis of a risk assessment
  • High-risk or certified-category drones will need to follow aviation rules, and this will apply to future drone flights with passengers.

The low-risk category, which covers most hobbyist drones, is expected to be the most widely-used and will be managed through the CE marking process which ensures safety and environmental protection requirements are met. There are three subcategories covering where and how they can be flown:

  • A1 – drones weighing less than 250g (0.55 lb) can be flown over people
  • A2 – drones weighing more than 250g but less than 2kg (4.4 lbs) must be flown at least 50m (164ft) away from people
  • A3 – drones weighing more than 2kg must be flown well away from people

Drones purchased before January 1, 2021, that don’t have a CE class identification label can be flown in the low-risk or open category for a grace period of two years. After January 1, 2023, they’ll be restricted to operating in a Limited category.

Drones purchased after January 1st of this year, with a CE class identification label, are subject to rules that EASA has outlined here. Drone flying now falls into five classes, from C0 to C4.

If all of this seems a bit overwhelming, DJI created a chart to make more sense of these new rules. SkyBounder also introduced a ‘Drone License Finder‘ tool to help people discover which category and/or subcategory applies to their specific operation.

Drone operators are required to register with their country of residence. While these uniform rules are now in effect, some countries may be quicker to adopt them than others. It’s important to double-check with local authorities or conduct research, for the time being, if there is any doubt about the legality of a flight.

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Defence

U.S. Marines Are Training to Fight in the Arctic

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Over its 245 year history, the United States Marine Corps has been deployed to regions that might seem like tropical paradises, were the Marines are seen not having to do the dirty job of fighting America’s enemies. While extreme heat and high humidity have been a foe of the Marine riflemen in many conflicts, so too have extreme cold and high winds, which is why U.S. Marines of the Marine Rotational Force Europe 21.1 (MRF-E), Marine Forces Europe and Africa recently took part in joint operations in northern Norway.

During the annual Reindeer II, a major Norwegian Army-led field exercises north of the Arctic Circle, the Marines and soldiers took part in bilateral arctic training, which included live-fire drills on snow and snow-covered ranges. According to Defence-Blog, the Marines and their Norwegian partners utilized snowshoes and cross-country skis, worked to keep ammunition dry and even dealt with issues like deploying weapons in powdery snow as well as facing cold and wet conditions. The exercises were led by Norwegian Army instructors.

“Norway offers challenging terrain and unique training opportunities to improve our cold-weather and mountain-warfare skills, enabling our force to fight and win in arctic conditions,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Gordinier, commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment in advance of the bilateral exercise, which began on November 23. “The ‘Teufelhunden Battalion’ looks forward to continuing our historic relationship and strengthening our alliance with the Norwegian military.”

Gordinier added that Norway offers conditions that can’t be replicated at home stations back in the continental United States and said that the deployment provided the Marines with experience climbing up and down mountains, or dealing with extreme arctic temperatures.

This marked the first rotation of shorter MRF-E deployments, which were first announced by the Marine Corps in August 2020. Marine Rotational Force-Europe’s deployment synchronized with the Norwegian Armed Forces’ arctic training, which provided increased operational flexibility for the Marine Corps while it improved interoperability and strengthened defensive capabilities among partner forces. The Marines were able to learn valuable lessons in dealing with extreme arctic and mountainous terrain.

“One of the most important lessons we have learned is that we need a mutual understanding of what the different military terms mean, so that when an order is given, we can both act in the same way,” said Major General Lars S. Lervik, chief of the Norwegian Army, and Brigader Pål E. Berglund, commander of Brigade North, Norwegian Army according to Defence-Blog. “The level of integration allies have with the Norwegian Army today is very good, and I have never seen it this good before.”

The Marines may want to keep their cold-weather gear and camouflage at the ready. Marine Rotational Force-Europe 21.1 is expected to operate in Norway several times over the coming year, with a larger follow-on rotation scheduled in early 2021. The Marine Rotational Force plans to conduct various exercises alongside allied forces for continued interoperability and arctic training.

The United States Marines Corps is undergoing a transformation. In recent months the service has moved to deactivate all of its tank battalions, drastically reduce its artillery inventory, and field new amphibious vehicles to bring Marines from ship to shore. With a potential near-peer fight with China, the U.S. Marine Corps took a page from their past and recently reactivated the 1st and 2nd landing support battalions. However, that doesn’t mean that every fight could be under the tropical sun, which is why exercises such as Reindeer II remain so critical to keeping the Marines on their toes—even if that is in deep powdery snow.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.

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Media Freedom

Norwegian Government Agency Rejects UN Anti-Israel Blacklist

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A Norwegian government official clarified last week that Norway’s procurement office will not stop doing business with firms on a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) blacklist. The rejection, coming from a country that has been at the forefront of anti-Israel boycott campaigns, is a significant test case for the relevance of the controversial blacklist.

In March 2016, the UNHRC passed a resolution calling for the creation of a database of companies operating in “Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory … and in the occupied Syrian Golan.” High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet released the list in February 2020, naming 112 companies whose activities were said to raise “particular human rights concerns.” No such UN list exists for any other conflict zone around the world.

Most of the companies in question were listed because of generic business activities, such as using water and providing banking services. International law does not prohibit companies from doing business in disputed territories.

Norway has been at the forefront of the campaign to weaponize this list. Weeks after the list’s release, a consortium of four Norwegian universities cited the list as justification to exclude Egencia, a subsidiary of Expedia, from a contract bid to provide travel services. Two international trade unions subsequently urged the Government Pension Fund of Norway to divest from firms on the list. The fund has not publicly responded to the submission.

In a surprising turn, the director of the Norwegian Government Procurement Center now indicates his agency will not cut ties with blacklisted firms. The director said, “Our procurement law assessment is that we have neither the right nor the duty to reject Egencia from the competition as a result of the conditions discussed.”

This clarification comes after the boycott campaign’s initial flurry of activity in the Scandinavian country. In May 2017, Norway’s largest trade union called for a total boycott of Israel. In October 2019, Oslo became the sixth Norwegian municipality to ban West Bank settlement goods. However, in early 2019, Norway’s new government, seen as friendlier to Israel, announced that it found anti-Israel boycotts to be unhelpful. Then, in April 2020, the Norwegian parliament rejected a bill to require special labeling for Israeli products from the West Bank.

Norway’s Government Pension Fund has been at the center of this boycott debate. It is the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, with over $1 trillion in assets, including 1.5 percent of the world’s stocks and shares, making it an attractive target for divestment activists.

The Norwegian fund currently excludes two Israeli companies, which has not gone unnoticed. Texas’ Pension Review Board announced in April 2019 that it would divest $72 million from the company overseeing the Norwegian blacklist.

Thus far, despite some minor divestments, the UNHRC blacklist has been an ineffective tool for anti-Israel boycott activists. The Government Procurement Center decision only affirms this to be true. In the United States, both the incoming administration and U.S. states with anti-boycott laws will likely continue to reject this list as well. Increasingly, the decision to ignore the list stems from an understanding that it is simply a tool to target Israelis, not a means of promoting human rights.

David May is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Haley Weinischke is an intern. They both contribute to FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power(CEFP). For more analysis from the authors and CEFP, please subscribe HERE. Follow David and Haley on Twitter at @DavidSamuelMay and @HaleyWeinischke. Follow FDD on Twitter @FDD and @FDD_CEFP. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

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Media Freedom

Partner of Norwegian Ex-Minister Is Sentenced for Staging Attacks

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Laila Anita Bertheussen was accused of vandalizing her own house and car and of sending threatening letters in an effort to blame a theater company for breaching her privacy.

A Norwegian court on Friday sentenced the partner of a former minister to 20 months in prison after she was found guilty of endangering the country’s democracy by making up threats and vandalizing her own house and car in an attempt to show that the couple’s privacy had been invaded by a theater production.

Investigators removed items from the Oslo home of Laila Anita Bertheussen and her partner, Tor Mikkel Wara, a former justice minister, in March 2019.Credit…Ole Berg-Rusten/EPA, via Shutterstock

The defendant, Anita Laila Bertheussen, is the partner of the former justice minister Tor Mikkel Wara, of the right-wing Progress Party. She was found guilty of sending anonymous threats to Mr. Wara and to another minister, of daubing their own house and car with the word “racist” and a swastika, and later of setting the car on fire — all to prove her false assertion that the couple was under attack.

Eirin Eikefjord, a political editor who has covered the case for the daily Bergens Tidende, said, “It is an extraordinary case, some would say crazy, that has shaped conversations about what those who have power in Norway make of it.”

Ms. Bertheussen’s campaign began after a play in November 2018 at an Oslo theater. The play displayed footage of the house where she lived with Mr. Wara, along with images of the homes of other politicians whom the production accused of nurturing racist attitudes in Norway. The play, called “Ways of Seeing,” aimed to map “the networks that are interested in making Norway a more racist society,” according to a description on the theater’s website.

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Environment

Norway Launches Major Wind Power Research Center

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Today the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tina Bru, announced an investment of 120 million NOK (€11.3 million) in a new wind power research center in Norway. The NorthWind research centre will be at the cutting edge, working on innovations to make wind power cheaper, more efficient, and more sustainable. One of the centre’s main priorities will be offshore wind research.

“Rapid growth in offshore wind power internationally offers great opportunities for Norwegian businesses. Research and development is crucial to secure lower costs, less environmental impact and improved operating models for such projects. I believe a longterm research centre with industry partners, the research community and the government will contribute to further development of offshore wind power in Norway,” said Tina Bru, Norway’s Petroleum and Energy Minister.

Northwind will bring together over 50 partners from research institutions and industry all around the world. It will be led by the research institute SINTEF, with partners NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), NINA (The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), NGI (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute) and UiO (University of Oslo).

“The Center’s innovations will benefit Norwegian industry and the world at large,” said Alexandra Bech Gjørv, CEO of SINTEF. “Offshore wind has the potential to meet the world’s electricity needs many times over and innovations cutting its costs will help bring this renewable energy to the market even faster.”

The center will draw on Norwegian research and industry’s long-standing expertise in offshore projects. “It will provide an important launching pad for students in the field aiming to become the experts of tomorrow”, said the rector of NTNU, Anne Borg.

About NorthWind

NorthWind is financed by the Norwegian government through The Research Council of Norway. NorthWind is a Center for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) and will be in operation from 2020 to 2028. The Centers for Environment-friendly Energy Research carry out long-term research targeted towards renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and social science aspects of energy research.

Research partners:

SINTEF, NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), NINA (The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), NGI (Norwegian Geotechnical Institute) and UiO (University of Oslo).

International associated partners:

DTU, TNO, Fraunhofer, University of Strathclyde, NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and North China Electric Power University

Industry partners: 

  • 4Subsea
  • ABB
  • Aker Offshore Wind
  • Amon
  • Aibel
  • Baker Hughes
  • Cognite
  • DNV-GL
  • Dr. Techn. Olav Olsen
  • Dof Subsea Norway
  • EDR Medeso
  • Energi Norge
  • Energy Innovation
  • Equinor
  • ESVAGT
  • Finnmark Kraft
  • Force Technology Norway
  • Fred Olsen Renewables
  • Fugro
  • GFMS
  • Hafslund Eco
  • Havyard Design &Solutions
  • Hitachi ABB Power Grids
  • Impello
  • Kongsberg Maritime
  • Lundin Energy Norway
  • Lloid’s Register
  • Nexans Norway
  • NKT HV Cables
  • National Oilwell Varco Norway
  • NORWEP Norwegian Energy Partners
  • Norconsult
  • NorSea Group
  • NORWEA
  • Norwegian Offshore wind cluster
  • RENERGY cluster
  • SAP Norway
  • Sogn og Fjordane Energi
  • Statkraft
  • Store Norske Spitsbergen Kullkompani
  • Sval Energi
  • Trønder Energi Kraft
  • Vard Design
  • Windcluster Norway
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Science

Telenor Norway steps up the fight against against fraud and nuisance calls

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The operator becomes first major European carrier to partner Hiya AI-powered call protection service, used by AT&T and others.

Telenor Norway and Hiya announced a strategic partnership to fight against fraud and nuisance calls. Hiya uses machine learning to screen more than 12 billion calls each month to detect and block calls that are fraud and nuisance.

It provides cloud-based, real-time fraud and nuisance call detection to more than 150 million customers worldwide through its partnerships with businesses, carriers and technology partners.

Growing issue

Fraud calls are a growing problem in Scandinavia and across Europe. In Norway, residents receive an average of five fraud calls per month, that can result in financial losses, frustration and damaged reputation for carriers and businesses.

The calls include emerging threats like COVID-19-related scams where the fraudster offers fake cures or health insurance to solicit personal information.

They also include scams like the Wangiri attack where fraudsters trick victims into calling back a premium rate number. In a recent study, Hiya found that the Wangiri attack remains popular with fraudsters across Europe and a surprising number of them originate in European countries like Spain and Switzerland.

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Science

23 die in Norway after receiving Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, says officials

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The New York Post reported that Twenty-three people died in Norway within days of receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with 13 of those deaths – all nursing home patients – apparently related to the side effects of the shots, health officials said.

Common reactions to the vaccine, including fever and nausea, “may have contributed to a fatal outcome in some frail patients,” Sigurd Hortemo, chief physician at the Norwegian Medicines Agency, said in a Friday statement. 

All 13 were nursing home patients and at least 80 years old. While officials aren’t expressing serious concern, they are adjusting their guidance on who should receive the vaccine. 

The news comes just over a week after officials reported the deaths of just two nursing home residents after they received the Pfizer jab. 

More than 30,000 people in Norway have received the first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccine in the Scandinavian country since late last month, according to official figures.

“We are not alarmed by this,” Steinar Madsen, medical director with the agency, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “It is quite clear that these vaccines have very little risk, with a small exception for the frailest patients.”

“Doctors must now carefully consider who should be vaccinated,” he added. “Those who are very frail and at the very end of life can be vaccinated after an individual assessment.”

The agency reported Thursday that a total of 29 people had suffered side effects, including the 13 people who died. 

Twenty-one women and eight men experienced side effects, officials said. 

Besides those who died, nine had serious side effects — including allergic reactions, strong discomfort and severe fever — while seven had less serious ones, including severe pain at the injection site.

In total, more than 57,000 cases and 500 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in Norway, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Health officials noted that around 400 people die each week in the nursing home population.

A Pfizer rep said the pharmaceutical giant is “aware of reported deaths” following the administration of the vaccine in Norway and is working with the Norwegian Medicines Agency “to gather all the relevant information.”

“Norwegian authorities have prioritized the immunization of residents in nursing homes, most of whom are very elderly with underlying medical conditions and some which are terminally ill,” a spokeswoman said in a statement. “[The Norwegian Medicine Agency confirms] the number of incidents so far is not alarming, and in line with expectations.”

“All reported deaths will be thoroughly evaluated by [the agency] to determine if these incidents are related to the vaccine,” she added. “The Norwegian government will also consider adjusting their vaccination instructions to take the patients’ health into more consideration.”

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Terrorist

Turkey condemns Norway for allowing PKK terrorist

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry denounced Norway on Thursday for allowing the PKK terror group to disseminate propaganda in the capital Oslo.

It was allowed to hang a painting about women’s rights as part of an event supported by the Oslo Municipality that served the propaganda of the PKK terrorist organization, the ministry said in a statement.

“It is ‘worth noting’ that the Oslo Municipality continues to support terror despite our diplomatic initiatives,” it said.

Reminding that the terror group is responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, the ministry stressed that women are among the most affected by the PKK’s terror campaign while its crimes, including child abduction, have been revealed in human rights reports.

The cries during a sit-in protest against the terror group in Diyarbakır, southeastern Turkey of mothers whose children were kidnapped by the terrorist organization are an example, it noted.

It noted that the YPG, the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, is also one of the leading actors of the abuse of women.

The group of aggrieved families has been staging a sit-in protest against the PKK terrorist group for over a year. Hacire Akar, who claimed her son was kidnapped and brought to the mountains by the PKK and its Syrian wing the YPG, started a sit-in protest in front of the Diyarbakır headquarters of the pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on Aug. 22, 2019. After she was reunited with her child on Aug. 24 as a result of her determined struggle, other mothers began to gain hope.

According to an Anadolu Agency (AA) report on Oct.14, 2020, PKK continues to enjoy a safe haven in Europe, even though it is officially recognized as a terrorist group in the European Union.

Stating that the rhetoric of the PKK is usually voiced as “the view of the Kurds” in the press of countries like Germany, France, the Netherlands and Sweden, the report says that nevertheless, newspapers and other news outlets in these countries almost never report on the protesting Kurdish mothers.

So far, the only European diplomat that has paid a visit to the Diyarbakır mothers has been the United Kingdom’s Ankara envoy Dominick John Chilcott.

Europe’s hypocrisy regarding the PKK terrorist group was also emphasized recently by Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu.

“Why would you (European countries) support PKK, YPG?” asked Çavuşoğlu on Oct.13, 2020 during a joint news conference with Swedish counterpart Ann Linde.

“This is yet more proof of Europe’s hypocritical stance toward terrorism,” he added.

The top diplomat urged Sweden to pay heed to the oppression the minority groups in Syria underwent at the hands of the PKK. There are many Kurdish organizations besides the PKK, the minister pointed out.

The PKK continues using the European Union’s territory for propaganda, recruitment, fundraising and logistical support activities, according to a report by the EU’s law enforcement agency released this June.

Europol’s annual terrorism report, titled “European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2020,” suggested the PKK is actively engaged in propaganda activities as well as collecting money in European countries.

Turkey has long criticized European authorities for tolerating PKK activities in the country and has pressured them to take stricter measures against the propaganda, recruitment and fundraising activities of the group.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women and children.

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Environment

Aluminium bodied Black flirty hybrid train moves to Norway from Siedlce plant

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Stadler Polska plant initiated the production of very interesting multiple aluminium units for the Norwegian carrier Norske Tog. The train coaches are built jointly by plants in Minsk and Siedlce.

Marta Jarosińska, the spokeswoman for Stadler Polska, said: “Black Flirty, a hybrid train for the Norwegian Railways Norske Tog. The trains are manufactured at our plant in Minsk, Belarus, and at the Stadler Polska plant in Siedlce, they are assembled and commissioned static and partially dynamic.”

She adds: “The vehicles then go to the port in Świnoujście, from where they are transported by ferry to Sweden and then on rails to Norway. Test drives take place on-site before the final handover of the vehicles to the customer.”

“Currently two trains are being tested. As part of the order received from Norske Tog, 12 more such vehicles will leave the Siedlce plant”, said the spokeswoman.

The order for 14 vehicles was placed in Stadler in February and December 2018. The multiple units made of aluminium are six-unit, but one of the cars is shorter and has no seats for passengers. They house a diesel engine in the so-called power pack. Besides, the vehicle has four traction batteries used to store energy from braking and use it to start the vehicle on lines without an overhead line. Without the use of pantographs, the Flirt will accelerate to 160 km / h with this “mix” of propulsion. On electrified lines with standard electric drive, it can travel at a speed of 200 km / h.

Flirts for Norske Tog are especially thermally insulated so that they can work in extremely difficult weather conditions. There are 196 permanent seats on board, a separate conductor compartment and 2 toilets.

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Science

Autonomous dump trucks to operate in Norwegian stone quarry

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Starting next spring, four autonomous dump trucks will start hauling rock for crushing at a stone quarry on the west coast of Norway.

The order is a milestone for Norwegian autonomous vehicle company Steer AS, whose vehicles had previously been used only for dangerous jobs like clearing artillery ranges.

“We can now utilise our technology with a customer within an industry with a lot of potential. This is very exciting!” said Steer chairman Ketil Solvik Olsen.

The customer is Romarheim, which has been contracted to operate the quarry near Osterfjord, north of Bergen. 

After being loaded with rock, the trucks will follow a set route out of the quarry to dump their loads down a shaft to the crushing plant. From there, the aggregate goes by boat to domestic and international markets.

“As you can understand, these are quite repetitive tasks, and this is a perfectly sized project to test our autonomous solution even further,” said Steer co-founder Njål Arne Gjermundshaug, adding that “Romarheim is a very forward thinking customer who is excited to be part of this innovation project.”

At first, drivers will be in the trucks to make sure the technology works as planned. Then, Steer said, the wheel loader driver loading the trucks will direct them using an iPad from the cabin. 

The project is due to start in spring 2021, and Steer is currently testing miniature trucks in Oslo. 

“This is to test the technology so it’s meeting the expectations we have for precision, safety, usability and operation time,” said Gjermundshaug.

“This is our first major delivery of autonomous dump trucks in a global market, and we see a large potential,” said Steer chief executive Pål Ligård. 

The company said it is now expanding its workforce after Covid-19 delayed a project planned at a US oil refinery. It has received 2 million NOK in grants from the public innovation body, Innovation Norway. 

Image: The trucks will follow a set route out of the quarry to dump their loads down a shaft to the crushing plant (Photograph courtesy of Steer AS)

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Russia and Norway

Global Perspectives | Norwegian-Russian Relations

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

As the Arctic opens to global activity, its importance in the geopolitical struggle between NATO and Russia continues to grow. Norway is in a unique position in this relationship, with one of the few direct borders between a NATO member state and Russia. Norway’s relations with Russia are understandably complex, with deep economic ties and a history of regional cooperation, but also mutual suspicion and elevated concern. Norwegian State Secretary Audun Halvorsen joined us for a conversation on the state of Norwegian-Russian relations and their future trajectory.

Selected Quotes

Audun Halvorsen
“As a small European country bordering Russia, but of course firmly grounded in the Western community of values and interests, at least as a founding member of NATO going back to 1949, it is obvious that the relationship is a key factor in Norway’s foreign, security, and defense policy and very high on any Norwegian government’s agenda, and it is a relationship that needs to be managed in good times and in challenging times and in a way that contributes to stability and predictability in the region.”

“Our decision in 1949 to be among the founding nations of the alliance placed us firmly in the Western camp of democracies and embracing a policy of collective defense against the Soviet Union that presented a military challenge. And after the thaw, through the 1990s and early 2000s, the recent years have unfortunately returned us to a situation marked by suspicion and a lack of trust and we see, as you all know, today’s Russian leadership regards NATO as a challenge, it continues to act in ways that are contrary to our security interests and the interests of our closest allies. This is obviously shaping our Russia policy today.”

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Asia and Norway

PAKISTAN/CANADA: PM Trudeau must initiate an independent inquiry into the abduction and mysterious death of Karima Baloch

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Karima Baloch was a prominent student leader of Balochistan, who escaped Pakistan in 2016 to take refuge in Canada, was found dead in Harbour front near Toronto’s lakeshore.

Karima Baloch, a human rights activist from Balochistan, Pakistan, was mysteriously murdered in Toronto, Canada after her abduction.

We, the signatory of this urgent appeal, demand from the Prime Minister Trudeau to immediately hold an impartial inquiry into the murder of Baloch activist in an Island. The government of Canada must also investigate the possibility of hands of intelligence agencies of Pakistan in her murder.

 Karima Baloch was a prominent student leader of Balochistan, who escaped Pakistan in 2016 to take refuge in Canada, was found dead in Harbour front near Toronto’s lakeshore. Karima Baloch had gone missing on Sunday around 3 pm. Toronto Police had requested public assistance in locating her.

In 2016, BBC had included Baloch in their ‘BBC 100 Women 2016’ list for her work involving “campaigns for independence for Balochistan from Pakistan.” She had used her social media profile to highlight abductions, torture, forced disappearances and other human rights violations that people in Balochistan were being subjected to by the Pakistan government and the army.

In her activism, she had placed emphasis on fighting for the rights of Balochi women, and had highlighted how the legal system and religious groups in Pakistan would use state and social machinery to intentionally target women, particularly from vulnerable groups.

Karima was murdered in a mysterious way. It is widely thought in Pakistan and particularly in Balochistan that she was murdered by the network of intelligence agencies in the same way as in the case of one Baloch journalist, Mr. Sajid Baloch in Sweden.

Miss Karima Baloch, had been sentenced to three years in prison and fined Rs 150,000 (US$ 1,875) after she and several other women demonstrated in August 2006 against disappearances. The charges were made in her absence. The case was based mainly upon the removal of a flag from a government building without authorization (under section 123 B of Pakistan penal code). She has been charged with defiling the flag and with sedition, which under section 124 A of PPC means ‘whoever by words or by sign or by visible representation excite(s) disaffection towards the federal or provincial government. The sentence was given by the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in Turbat, Balochistan province on June 2, 2009. 

The issue of disappearance was very close to Karima’s heart, she campaigned against the enforced disappearance of one of her uncles, Mr. Abdul Wahid Qamber Baloch, who was arrested in March 2007, tortured and kept incommunicado in secret military cells for nine months. He was handed over to police on April 21, 2008 and acquitted of nine out of ten changes, but remains in custody and charged with anti-state activities.

Another of her uncles, Dr. Khalid Baloch, was killed in August 2007 in an alleged encounter, in which the Frontier Corps (FC), a paramilitary organization, claimed to have been ambushed. According to reports by journalists and rights groups, encounter killings are often staged in Balochistan as a way of ridding the authorities of unwanted detainees.

In 2014, one leader of BSO Awami, Mr. Zahid Baloch was arrested by the military when students were having a secret meeting to chalk out a plan of action against the continuous disappearances of students. It was then that Karima Baloch was asked to head and take charge of BSO.

Consequently the intelligence agencies and Frontier Corp (FC) began searching for her and raided houses of her relative to arrest her. Fearing for her life Karima escaped to Canada in 2016. However herself exile did not stop her from activism and fight for the rights of the Baloch people. Karima also represented the case of disappearances of more than 20 thousand Balochs in the United Nation Human Rights Council.

Following her mysterious death the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs,Mir Muhammad Ali Khan shared the target list of state institutions when he tweeted that Karima’s death is good riddance. Expressing sadistic nature he wished the same fate to other activist and opponent of state’s narrative and hegemony such as Mr. Tarek Fateh, and bloggers Mr. Goraya and Taha Siddiqui.

This is not the first time that state officials have been found hand in glove with the security establishment target and kill operations General Pervaiz Musharaf- the ex-military dictator of Pakistan in one of his interviews and clearly stated that the activists and those daring to raise their voice against state’s oppression  should be targeted wherever they are.https://www.facebook.com/100040913675263/posts/441268563913596/?sfnsn=mo

We the under signed demand that Canadian government enhance the security of all political asylum seekers in the country as they are increasingly at risk of being disappeared and murdered.

Please sent letters to following authority

1.Mr. Justin Tradeau

 Canadian PM:

 Justin.Trudeau@parl.gc.ca

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Africa and Norway

Norway Grants Debt Relief to Somalia

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Under a bilateral agreement between Norway and Somalia, NOK 16.2 million of Somalia’s debt to Norway will be cancelled. Some 67 % of Somalia’s debt to Norway, NOK 10.85 million, will be cancelled upon the signing of the bilateral agreement, in line with the Paris Club agreement with Somalia. The remaining NOK 5.35 million will be cancelled if and when Somalia reaches its Completion Point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. It is expected to do so in 2023.

In order to reach its HIPC Completion Point, Somalia will have to implement a number of economic measures and reforms, so that the remainder of its debt to the Paris Club creditor countries can be cancelled. In the meantime, Somalia’s debt service obligations will be very low.

In March, Norway provided a short-term bridging loan of NOK 3.4 billion to Somalia to clear Somalia’s debt arrears to the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). The bridging loan, which was repaid the same day, was part of a multilateral, coordinated process that helped enable Somalia to qualify for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative and re-establish access to loans from the multilateral financial institutions and development banks. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and IDA announced on 25 March that Somalia had reached its HIPC Decision Point, making it eligible to receive debt relief under the enhanced HIPC Initiative.

‘By providing the bridging loan, Norway helped Somalia to normalise its relations with the international financial institutions. I am proud that Norway has played a key role in this process, which shows what can be achieved when partner countries, donors and multilateral institutions work together,’ said Minister of International Development Dag-Inge Ulstein.

Under the HIPC initiative, low-income countries are granted debt relief on debt owed to the Paris Club creditor countries, as well as to the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) and the African Development Bank’s African Development Fund (ADF), provided that they implement agreed reforms in a satisfactory manner.

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Defence

1,000 US Marines arrive in Norway for cold-weather training

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

More than 1,000 Marines and sailors have arrived in Setermoen, Norway for Arctic warfare training, Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa said Friday.

The Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based Marines are part of a rotational force that trains with the Norwegian military and other NATO allies.

“The opportunity to strengthen this historic relationship with the Norwegian Army and improve our Arctic warfare proficiency is invaluable to the readiness of our forces,” Lt. Col. Ryan Gordinier, commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, said in a statement.

The Marines have been a regular presence in Norway since the Cold War and continue to keep large stockpiles of weapons in Norwegian caves. The Marine mission in Norway expanded three years ago when the Corps launched six-month rotations that involved keeping Marines in Norway all year, with back-to-back rotations.

But in October, the Marines ended the continuous rotations, opting instead for a more periodic training regimen that offered added flexibility. At the time, the Marines also said the shift would enable shorter, but larger troop rotations.

On the latest rotation, Marines were all tested for the coronavirus upon arrival in Norway to mitigate health risks, the Corps said.

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Oil & Gas

Norwegian owner secures almost three years’ work for PSVs

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Solstad has secured work for three of its platform supply vessels (PSVs) in a tough market for support services. When combined, the contracts’ firm periods represent work for more than 34 months for the vessels, bolstering Solstad’s order backlog.

Solstad gained a long-term charter from an unnamed North Sea operator for its 2014-built Normand Surfer. This PX 105-design PSV will support a semi-submersible drilling rig to drill four wells from Q1 2021 over an estimated 550 days. There are options to extend this contract for another two wells depending on the results of the first four.

Solstad has also secured an extension to the present contract for PSV Far Spica. This charter extension will see the 2013-built STX vessel operating until at least December 2021 in the UK sector.

Outside of the North Sea, Solstad picked up a contract for its PSV Normand Supra from Tullow Oil. This 2014-built and PX 105-design vessel will support a deepwater drilling campaign offshore Suriname during Q1 2021 under a three-month charter, which is inclusive of vessel transit time.

These contracts come straight after Solstad signed a frame agreement with ExxonMobil to support a drilling programme off Brazil.

On 15 December, Solstad also announced contracts for PSVs Normand Serenade and Normand Arctic.

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Asia and Norway

Science has delivered, will the WTO deliver? – TRIPS waiver proposal from India, South Africa and other members

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A proposal by India, South Africa and eight other countries calls on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to exempt member countries from enforcing some patents, and other Intellectual Property (IP) rights under the organization’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, known as TRIPS, for a limited period of time. It is to ensure that IPRs do not restrict the rapid scaling- up of manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

While a few members have raised concerns about the proposal, a large proportion of the WTO membership supports the proposal. It has also received the backing of various international organizations, multilateral agencies and global civil society.

Unprecedented times call for unorthodox measures. We saw this in the efficacy of strict lockdowns for a limited period, as a policy intervention, in curtailing the spread of the pandemic. International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its October 2020 edition of World Economic Outlook states “…However, the risk of worse growth outcomes than projected remains sizable. If the virus resurges, progress on treatments and vaccines is slower than anticipated, or countries’ access to them remains unequal, economic activity could be lower than expected, with renewed social distancing and tighter lockdowns”. The situation appears to be grimmer than predicted, we have already lost 7% of economic output from the baseline scenario projected in 2019. It translates to a loss of more than USD 6 trillion of global GDP. Even a 1% improvement in global GDP from the baseline scenario will add more than USD 800 billion in global output, offsetting the loss certainly of a much lower order to a sector of economy on account of the Waiver.

Merely a signal to ensure timely and affordable access to vaccines and treatments will work as a big confidence booster for demand revival in the economy. With the emergence of successful vaccines, there appears to be some hope on the horizon. But how will these be made accessible and affordable to global population? The fundamental question is whether there will be enough of Covid-19 vaccines to go around. As things stand, even the most optimistic scenarios today cannot assure access to Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics for the majority of the population, in rich as well as poor countries, by the end of 2021. All the members of the WTO have agreed on one account that there is an urgent need to scale-up the manufacturing capacity for vaccines and therapeutics to meet the massive global needs. The TRIPS Waiver Proposal seeks to fulfil this need by ensuring that IP barriers do not come in the way of such scaling up of manufacturing capacity.

Why existing flexibilities under the TRIPS Agreement are not enough 

The existing flexibilities under the TRIPS Agreement are not adequate as these were not designed keeping pandemics in mind. Compulsory licenses are issued on a country by country, case by case and product by product basis, where every jurisdiction with an IP regime would have to issue separate compulsory licenses, practically making collaboration among countries extremely onerous. While we encourage the use of TRIPS flexibilities, the same are time-consuming and cumbersome to implement. Hence, only their use cannot ensure the timely access of affordable vaccines and treatments. Similarly, we have not seen a very encouraging progress on WHO’s Covid19-Technology Access Pool or the C-TAP initiative, which encourages voluntary contribution of IP, technology and data to support the global sharing and scale-up of the manufacturing of COVID- 19 medical products. Voluntary Licenses, even where they exist, are shrouded in secrecy. Their terms and conditions are not transparent. Their scope is limited to specific amounts or for a limited subset of countries, thereby encouraging nationalism rather than true international collaboration.

Why is there a need to go beyond existing global cooperation initiatives? 

Global cooperation initiatives such as the COVAX Mechanism and the ACT-Accelerator are inadequate to meet the massive global needs of 7.8 billion people. The ACT-A initiative aims to procure 2 billion doses of vaccines by the end of next year and distribute them fairly around the world. With a two-dose regime, however, this will only cover 1 billion people. That means that even if ACT-A is fully financed and successful, which is not the case presently, there would not be enough vaccines for the majority of the global population.

Past experience

During the initial few months of the current pandemic, we have seen that shelves were emptied by those who had access to masks, PPEs, sanitizers, gloves and other essential Covid-19 items even without their immediate need. The same should not happen to vaccines. Eventually, the world was able to ramp up manufacturing of Covid-19 essentials as there were no IP barriers hindering that. At present, we need the same pooling of IP rights and know-how for scaling up the manufacturing of vaccines and treatments, which unfortunately has not been forthcoming, necessitating the need for the Waiver.

It is the pandemic – an extraordinary, once in a lifetime event – that has mobilized the collaboration of multiple stakeholders. It is knowledge and skills held by scientists, researchers, public health experts and universities that have enabled the cross-country collaborations and enormous public funding that has facilitated the development of vaccines in record time – and not alone IP! 

Way forward

The TRIPS waiver proposal is a targeted and proportionate response to the exceptional public health emergency that the world faces today. Such a Waiver is well-within the provisions of Article IX of the Marrakesh Agreement which established the WTO. It can help in ensuring that human lives are not lost for want of a timely and affordable access to vaccines. The adoption of the Waiver will also re-establish WTO’s credibility and show that multilateral trading system continues to be relevant and can deliver in times of a crisis. Now is the time for WTO members to act and adopt the Waiver to save lives and help in getting the economy back on the revival path quickly.

While making the vaccines available was a test of science, making them accessible and affordable is going to be a test of humanity. History should remember us for the “AAA rating” i.e. for Availability, Accessibility and Affordability of Covid19 vaccines and treatments and not for a single “A rating” for Availability only. Our future generations deserve nothing less.

By Brajendra Navnit, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to WTO

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Diplomatic relations

Norway assumes key leadership tasks in UN Security Council

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

As a member of the UN Security Council, Norway will chair the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee,  the Isil (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, and the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. Norway will also be penholder for the situation in Afghanistan and for the humanitarian situation in Syria, and will work actively to increase focus on the linkages between climate change and security.

‘These are challenging and demanding tasks that Norway is prepared to take on. It is a vote of confidence that Norway will have the responsibility for some of the key chair positions of Security Council’s subsidiary organs. Through our work in these areas, we will both promote Norwegian priorities and contribute to issues of crucial importance to international peace and security,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

In a world dealing with the ongoing pandemic, climate change, increasing poverty, enormous humanitarian needs, high numbers of refugees and displaced people and complicated conflict situations, it is vital that the UN Security Council’s efforts to promote international peace and security are successful.

The DPRK’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programme, Isil (Da’esh) and al-Qaida represent grave threats to global peace and security. Over a number of years, the Security Council has built up a comprehensive sanctions regime to prevent the development of weapons of mass destruction in the DPRK.

‘Sanctions are one of the most powerful and effective measures the Security Council has at its disposal. As chair of the DPRK Sanctions Committee, Norway will seek to achieve the effective implementation and follow-up of sanctions, based on respect for international law, the humanitarian principles and human rights. It is important to avoid unintended humanitarian consequences for the civilian population, said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

 ‘Sanctions against Isil (Da’esh) and al-Qaida are necessary to combat international terrorism. Preventing the financing of terrorism is crucial if these efforts are to succeed. To ensure the legitimacy and effectiveness of the sanctions it is important that due process guarantees are in place to protect individuals who are targeted under the sanctions regime,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

The protection of civilians in armed conflicts, including children, will be one of the Norwegian Government’s main priorities during Norway’s term on the Security Council. Children are especially vulnerable in armed conflicts.

‘I am pleased that Norway has been given the opportunity to chair the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. It is vital to ensure greater accountability in this area,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

Norway will be a co-penholder for the situation in Afghanistan and for the humanitarian situation in Syria.  

‘We have in-depth insight into the conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria, and are therefore well placed to play a constructive role that can lead to common solutions. It is important to strengthen the Security Council’s capacity to carry out peace diplomacy and conflict prevention, and incorporate this into processes of addressing country and conflict situations. Both Afghanistan and Syria have great humanitarian needs that the Security Council must assure are addressed. Some of the country situations on the Security Council’s agenda are complicated and have led to polarisation among members of the Security Council, which means that our ambitions have to be realistic,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

Members of the Security Council has recently established an informal expert group on the linkage between climate change and security risks in the various country situations. Norway will co-chair the group.

‘It is clear that climate change is increasingly leading to greater instability and exacerbating conflicts. Norway will work actively to promote the Security Council’s efforts in this area, for example by using scientific data systematically,’ said Ms Eriksen Søreide.

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Politics

Norway’s comprehensive climate action plan

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway is committed to achieving its emission reduction target under the Paris Agreement. Today, the Government is presenting a white paper describing its action plan for transformation of Norwegian society as a whole by 2030. The plan shows how Norway will achieve its climate target and at the same time create green growth.

“Under this Government, Norway has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, and this progress will continue. This climate action plan will give new momentum to Norwegian climate policy. For the first time, a government is putting forward a compelling, comprehensive plan for cutting emissions in every sector. We must make sure that it pays to cut greenhouse gas emissions,” said Minister of Climate and Environment Sveinung Rotevatn.  

The main emphasis of the climate action plan is on emissions that are not included in the Emissions Trading System, or non-ETS emissions. These include emissions from transport, waste, agriculture and buildings, and some emissions from industrial production and the oil and gas industry.

-We will cut emissions and enhance removals of CO2 in a way that transforms Norway and promotes green growth, said Prime Minister Erna Solberg. Credit: Martin Lerberg Fossum/KLD

It also deals with the EU Emissions Trading System, which applies to the bulk of emissions from industrial production and the oil and gas industry. In addition, the action plan discusses CO2 removals and emissions in the land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector.    

“This action plan will enable us to exceed Norway’s assigned target from the EU for non-ETS emissions, which is 40 %, and we will achieve this through domestic emission cuts,”said Mr Rotevatn.

The main policy instruments in the climate action plan are taxation of greenhouse gas emissions, regulatory measures, climate-related requirements in public procurement processes, information on climate-friendly options, financial support for the development of new technology, and initiatives to promote research and innovation.

The Government intends to make greater use of climate-related requirements in public procurement processes. Requirements for zero-emission solutions will be introduced for passenger cars and small vans in 2022, and for local buses from 2025. Criteria relating to low- or zero-emission solutions will also be introduced for ferry services and high-speed passenger vessel services.    

The sales volume of biofuels for road traffic will be maintained to ensure cuts in emissions from the fossil vehicles that are still in use. The Government will introduce biofuel quota obligations for offroad diesel and fuel for shipping from 2022. Vehicle taxes and other policy instruments will be designed so that they continue to provide incentives to choose zero-emission vehicles.    

Enova has been given a clearer climate profile, so that it will contribute towards Norway’s emission reduction commitment for non-ETS emissions and Norway’s transition to a low-emission society.  

The Government will use the letter of intent it has signed with the agricultural organisations as a basis for climate-related work in this sector in the years ahead.    

The white paper also announces a gradual increase in the carbon tax rate from its current level of about NOK 590 to NOK 2000 per tonne CO2equivalents in 2030. This will progressively increase the cost of emitting CO2 and give stronger incentives to reduce emissions. The Government’s policy is not to increase the overall level of taxation. Any tax increase will therefore be offset by reducing other taxes correspondingly.    

“Climate policy is the sum of all our efforts – how we transform Norway and equip the country for the future. We will cut emissions and enhance removals of CO2 in a way that transforms Norway and promotes green growth. To achieve this, we need an industrial sector that is greener, smarter and more innovative,”said Prime Minister Erna Solberg. 

“The Government is presenting an action plan for achieving Norway’s climate target for 2030. We will continue to reduce Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions, and shape a society that will provide jobs for the future. This will offer freedom and opportunities for everyone,” said Minister of Education and Integration Guri Melby.

“We all have a responsibility for each other, for the poorest people in the world and for future generations. The climate action plan will contribute to an equitable transformation process, so that Norway takes its share of the responsibility,” said Minister of Children and Families Kjell Ingolf Ropstad. 

EU climate legislation 

EU climate legislation  

Norway has entered into an agreement with the EU to take part in EU climate legislation in the period 2012–2030. This consists of three pieces of legislation: 

  • The Effort Sharing Regulation for non-ETS emissions: this assigns each country a binding target for reducing emissions from transport, buildings, agriculture, waste, and some emissions from the oil and gas industry and industrial production. Under the current regulation, overall emissions in the non-ETS sector in the EU are to be reduced by 30 % by 2030. Norway’s national target is an emissions cut of 40 %, either in Norway or in other European countries.
  • The land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) regulation:the regulation sets out accounting rules for uptake and removals of CO2 in the LULUCF sector. The legislation sets out an obligation to ensure that overall greenhouse gas emissions from land use and forestry do not exceed removals (this is known as the ‘no-debit’ rule).
  • The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) applies to installations in manufacturing, the petroleum industry, power and heat generation and domestic aviation. There is a cap on the total volume of greenhouse gas emissions that may be emitted. Installations can trade emission allowances with each other within the system. The cap, or number of allowances, is being reduced gradually so that total emissions fall over time. Under the current legislation, emissions are to be reduced by 43 % by 2030.  

Download all the proposed policies in detail here (Norwegian only – PDF)Ministry of Climate and Environment

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Environment

Two key contracts awarded for Northern Lights project

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s Equinor has awarded two key contracts in connection with the Northern Lights carbon transport and storage project worth a total of NOK 1.3 billion ($149.8 million).

Earlier this week, following a historic vote in parliament, the Norwegian Government announced its funding decision for the Northern Lights CO2 project.

The project will enable the shipping, reception, and sequestration of CO2 in geological strata in the Northern North Sea, approximately 2,600 meters below the seabed.

The first big contract for the project was awarded back in October for building site preparation and the construction of jetty facilities for the CO2 receiving terminal. The contract was awarded to Skanska.

Now, following the decision by the Norwegian government, Equinor has awarded further contracts for the project. 

Kværner has received a letter of award for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the onshore plant facilities at Energiparken in Øygarden. 

The onshore plant will receive and store liquid CO2 before it is exported through a pump and pipeline system for injection offshore. The value of the contract is estimated at around NOK 1.05 billion ($121 million). 

The start-up of the work is planned in January 2021, and completion is planned by 1Q 2024. Kværner is a fully owned subsidiary of Aker Solutions.

Furthermore, Aker Solutions has been awarded an EPC contract for delivering a subsea injection system for the CO2 well in the North Sea. The contract is awarded as a call-off under the framework agreement signed with Equinor in 2017. 

The value of the contract is around NOK 250 million ($28.8 million). The work will start in January 2021 with installation and completion in 2023. The contract also includes options for equipment for future wells.

Northern Lights will be the first of its kind – an open and available infrastructure enabling transport of CO2 from industrial capture sites to a terminal in Øygarden for intermediate storage before being transported by pipeline for permanent storage in a reservoir 2600 meters under the seabed.

“These contracts are key to the success of the Northern Lights project. We look forward to working together with Aker Solutions and Kværner to deliver on our part of the solution to reduce industrial emissions”, says project director for Northern Lights Sverre Overå.

The pre-fabrication for the onshore facilities will be done at Aker Solutions’ yard at Stord before site installation. The scope includes facilities at jetty for import of CO2 from ships, storage tanks for intermediate storage of CO2 and process systems.

“Equinor aims to become a net-zero energy company by 2050. This requires that we together with our suppliers develop new value chains and projects such as offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. These projects will enable the supply industry to build new competencies and will create important activity and spin-offs going forward”, said Peggy Krantz-Underland, Equinor’s chief procurement officer.

The Northern Lights project is the transport and storage part of Longship, the Norwegian Government’s full-scale carbon capture and storage project. Equinor is developing the project together with Shell and Total as equal partners.

The procurement process for the onshore plant facilities is being performed in accordance with the Public Procurement Act and the Public Procurement Regulations . 

Equinor noted that, in line with the requirements, all the bidders in the competition were yesterday informed of the award decision and there is a standstill period that expires on 5 January 2021 when the onshore plant facilities contract will be signed.

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Environment

As cities boom, Oslo tests greener ‘zero emissions’

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A nearly “zero emissions” building site in Oslo, using electric-powered machinery, could be a pioneer for greener construction as the world’s urban areas swell by the equivalent of a Dublin or Dallas, Texas, every week, city experts have said.

Plug-in diggers, saws for cutting stones and other electric-powered machinery have been used to create a pedestrian area in the center of the Norwegian capital — completed in time for Christmas.

The shift aims to help curb climate change, air pollution and noise, officials have said.

C40 Cities, a network of almost 100 of the world’s biggest cities working to slow climate change, called the diesel-ditching project by the left-wing municipality “groundbreaking and unprecedented worldwide.”

“Many cities are looking to Oslo to learn,” said Cassie Sutherland, program director for energy and buildings at C40 Cities in London.

Sitting in chill winter sunshine at the Oslo site, on a new wooden bench by a flower bed planted with purple heather, Oslo Agency for Urban Environment project leader Marianne Molmen said that the revamped street “has become really great.”

The area, lined with shops, cinemas and bars — many closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic — also has new bicycle parking racks and tree saplings. Fossil-fuel-powered vehicles have been banned in much of the area, which includes special chargers for electric-powered taxis.

The revamp project, which began last year, saved 35,000 liters of diesel fuel and 99 percent of greenhouse gas emissions compared with a conventional building site, Molmen said.

The project cost 64 million kroner (US$7.2 million), compared with an estimated 59 million kroner for a more traditional project, largely because electric-powered machines are scarce and cost more.

The “zero emissions” standard used was more stringent than a previous “fossil free” regulation in Oslo, which allowed the use of bio-diesel engines.

Norway generates almost all its electricity from hydropower.

Oslo leads the global “clean construction forum” for C40, whose members include big cities such as Beijing, New York, Tokyo, London and Paris.

In one C40 initiative last month, Oslo, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Budapest pledged to halve emissions from building sites by 2030.

The world’s construction industry accounts for more than 23 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, C40 said, so any cuts would help nations meet goals that they set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement to limit global warming.

Urban areas, especially in developing nations, are expanding at a breakneck pace.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 2,500 scientists from more than 130 nations, said in its most recent assessment in 2014 that more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas “and each week the global urban population increases by 1.3 million.”

That means adding urban areas the size of Islamabad, Harare, Dublin or Dallas, Texas, every week or so.

Priorities for green construction include upgrading existing buildings, rather than demolishing and rebuilding, improving designs and using better materials, such as recycled steel or low-emissions concrete, Sutherland said.

Oslo’s “zero emissions” policy seeks to cover all work within the perimeter of building sites, but a lack of specialized electric-powered machinery from suppliers means that the municipality sometimes grants exemptions and permits machines that are powered by fossil fuels.

For example, in its recent project, the municipality allowed a diesel-powered crane onto the site after failing to find an electric-powered one. The crane burned 16 liters of fuel. Also, asphalt was laid at the site by diesel-powered machines.

Among suppliers, Norwegian construction equipment maker Nasta refits excavators built by Hitachi with batteries, enabling them to operate for about four hours before losing power.

Norway, western Europe’s top oil exporter with a US$1 trillion sovereign wealth fund built on fossil-fuel wealth, paradoxically has some of the globe’s most progressive environmental policies.

For example, those have created the highest rate of electric vehicle (EV) ownership in the world. In the first 11 months of this year, 52 percent of all new vehicles sold in Norway were electric-powered, the Norwegian Road Federation said.

Oslo Vice Mayor Lan Marie Nguyen Berg of the Green Party said that cities can often be more ambitious than national governments because voters see the results of climate policies in their daily lives — more parks, cleaner air and cycling lanes.

Oslo was named Europe’s Green Capital for last year by the European Commission.

A problem is defining where the city’s authority ends and less-stringent national building codes — which allow fossil fuels — take over.

The city government only demands emission-free construction on sites that it controls, from roads to kindergardens.

“Four of five construction sites in Oslo are private or owned by the central government,” Berg said, adding that the city has written to the central government saying that it wants to demand that all construction sites in Oslo be zero-emission or fossil-free sites.

It has not yet received a reply.

Among other green changes in the city, the percentage of EVs passing toll points into Oslo has risen to 25 percent of all vehicles from 6 percent in 2015. Diesel vehicles pay a toll five times higher than EVs.

The municipality has built 55km of cycling roads since 2015, after only about 15km were added in the previous decade. More than 100 electric-powered buses operate in Oslo and the surrounding areas.

Those changes have stirred hostility from some vehicle drivers. A new single-issue party, campaigning to abolish road tolls, won nearly 6 percent of the vote in Oslo municipal elections last year.

Despite its greener policies, Oslo has fallen far short of a headline-grabbing goal in 2016 to halve the city’s greenhouse emissions by this year.

Under revised, less ambitious goals, Oslo estimates that emissions this year are to be 25 percent below 2009 levels, which were about 1.4 million tonnes.

A lack of government funding for carbon capture and storage — used to catch emissions and trap them permanently underground — at a municipal waste plant partly explains the shortfall, Berg said.

Revisions to historic emissions data have also played a role, she said.

“We will get there, but it will also be hard work,” Berg said, reaffirming a goal to cut emissions 95 percent by 2030, compared with levels in 2009.

(By Alister Doyle / Thomson Reuters Foundation, OSLO)

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Environment

Norway Voted Best Country In The World For Quality Of Life

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway has been voted as the best country in the world for quality of life according to United Nation’s latest Human Development Index (HDI) ranking.

Neither the UK or the US came in the top ten while Norway has remained in the top spot for several years.

The HDI ranks a country depending on its life expectancy, expected years of schooling, mean years of schooling as well as gross international income (GNI).

For Norway, its life expectancy is the highest of the 189 countries in the index, with an average of 82.4 years. Meanwhile, the UK’s was 81.3 years, and the US was 78.9.

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Science

Mandatory testing for travellers to Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

From January 2nd 2021, the government has imposed mandatory testing for Covid-19 for all travellers to Norway. The test must be done as soon as possible and within 24 hours after arrival at the latest. Travellers must enter Norway through border stations with testing facilities or through border stations with police control. Several smaller border stations will be closed.

Test capacity at the borders will be increased and there will be restrictions when crossing the border.

Testing should be done at the airport or other border stations. If that is not possible, the traveller must contact the local municipality or another test station to arrange testing. Testing is free of charge.

– We are now concerned about import infection as well as new outbreaks with new mutated versions of the virus. In addition, we are concerned that many will return to Norway after Christmas from countries with an increased level of infection, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

It is estimated that the British mutation increases infection with 55-70%. That corresponds to an increase in the reproduction number with 0,4.

– If this mutation is spread in Norway, it will most likely result in a full lockdown. We must do what we can to prevent this mutation to get a foothold in Norway. Testing is the only way to discover if travellers from red countries are carrying this virus, says Solberg.  

Risk of overloading the intensive care capacity

If we assume that R for Norway is around 1, then the entry of the new mutation can lead to R increasing to 1,4. This will cause Norway’s intensive care capacity to exceed its limits within 4-5 weeks. The test and infection tracing capacity in the municipalities will be exceeded prior to this.

–We must limit the spread of this virus mutation as much as possible. It is also highly likely that the mutation will enter Norway from other countries than Great Britain. The demand of mandatory testing is an addition to the other measures that we have implemented; mandatory negative test before arrival, registry upon arrival and a duty to quarantine, says Bent Høie, Minister for Health and Care Services.

There are some exceptions from mandatory testing. Children under the age of 12 do not need to be tested. Personnel with critical social functions, border commuters, long distance drivers and diplomats are others that are exempted

The basis for the requirement of mandatory testing for travellers from red countries is based on assessments from The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) and The Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet).

FHI leans more towards testing recommendations rather than mandatory testing. Both FHI and The Norwegian Directorate of Health agree with the challenges in the situation and the new variations of the virus.

The measures will be assessed again in 4 weeks. A violation of the duty to test can be punished with fines.

Border stations

As a main rule, testing shall be done at border stations. The test capacity at the border stations can be low at first. Therefore, testing must be done as soon as possible or within 24 hours after arrival at the latest.

– People who are offered testing at the border station must comply, says Monica Mæland, Minister of Justice and Public Security.

There will be an increase in personnel at testing stations and new stations will be established. There will also be a need to increase capacity at testing stations at Oslo Airport Gardermoen and at several of Norway’s border stations controlling traffic by  sea and by land.

There are about 110 approved border stations to Norway. They are all open, but several have reduced their operating hours, and several are without police control.

Border stations might be closed in order to channel travellers to border stations with both police and health care personnel or border stations with police control.

– I will decide which border stations to close and which groups can be exempted so that they can still use closed border stations, says Mæland.

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