OSLO: Norway will cut its emissions of global warming gases by at least 40 percent by 2030, aligning itself with the target set by the European Union, the government said Wednesday.
The target will be Norway’s pledge to the U.N. climate agreement that’s supposed to be adopted in December in Paris, government officials said.
The EU, China and the United States have already presented their pledges for the new agreement, though they haven’t formally submitted them to the U.N. Submissions are due by the end of March, though many countries say they need more time.
Non-EU member Norway’s emissions target matches that of the European bloc, and the government said it wants to join the EU framework for climate policies.The EU is our most important collaborator and partner. A joint fulfilment with the EU allows for a more efficient climate policy and will give more predictable conditions for Norwegian businesses,” Finance Minister Siv Jensen said.
The government said Norway will continue to participate in the EU’s emissions trading system but not use U.N. offsets like investing in clean energy in developing countries. The Scandinavian country has previously relied on offsets to meet its climate targets.
