Solberg emphasised need for waste free seas while night hiking in Ålesund

Prime Minister Erna Solberg.Photo: Svein Ove Ekornesvåg.NTB scanpix

Erna Solberg visited Alesund on Saturday and saw how much rubbish ends up in the ocean in one of the country’s most contaminated port areas for plastic.

 

‘Investigations As Marine Research Institute’ have made, through the ‘MAREANO Project,’ displays of the sea areas outside of Ålesund, which is one of the most plastic contaminated areas along the Norwegian coastline.

On Saturday, the municipality organised a cleanup action in the harbour in Brosundet. After the assembly convened, objects found in the sea were gathered in a pile at Apotekertorget. Among other things, it included a shopping cart, chairs,bicycles, roller skates, shoes, plastic, mobile phones and a pile of bottles, Sunnmørsposten newspaper wrote.

‘’This is terrible. It shows that we have had too little respect for the ocean and have used it as one big garbage dump. Especially, the plastic waste is a giant problem that fortunately the whole world has become aware of now,’’ said Prime Minister Erna Solberg to the newspaper.

The Prime Minister visited Ålesund in Helga in connection with Norad’s arrangement, which illustrates the United Nation’s 17 sustainability goals, which are about eradicating poverty and stopping pollution. She was one of 5,000 people attending a night walk from the city park in Ålesund and up the Aksla mountain to mark the need for the UN’s goal.

This year’s hiking gave an extra focus on sustainability goal no. 14 – ‘Life under water’.

“We must increase understanding of how serious plastic pollution is internationally. And we have to do a job here at home, for example, to stimulate clearing, both among fishermen and volunteers,” said Solberg to NRK news.

The action day finished with a concert by Jarle Bernhoft in the mountains.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today