The EU’s climate deal is getting Norwegian praise

Minister for Climate and Environment Ola Elvestuen (Venstre/Liberal Party) is excited about the “European green deal,” the new roadmap proposal for a climate neutral EU.

“These are very good signals from the new Commission,” says Elvestuen on the phone from the climate negotiations in Madrid.

One proposal in the new EU plan is to raise the EU’s emission reduction target for 2030 to 50 or 55 per cent. Norway fully supports a rise to 55 per cent and has been eager for this in meetings with the EU, Elvestuen maintains.

“This is what we are for. And it will affect Norway directly, since we will reach our goals for 2030 together with the EU,” he says to NTB.

Ingebjørg Harto, director of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise’s (NHO) Brussels office, praises the European Commission for high ambitions in the road map. She believes there are also opportunities for Norwegian business there.

“Norwegian companies and expertise communities are well advanced in some of the areas highlighted. This applies to offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen,” says Harto.

The Bellona Foundation’s first impression is also positive.

“The EU Commission has done its part,” says senior adviser Olav Øye, who believes the EU Commission’s new president Ursula von der Leyen has prioritized the deal for the member states.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today