OSLO: After many years of greenhouse gas reductions, Norway’s emissions rose by 1.5 percent in 2015 due to higher emissions from oil and gas extraction and from industry, the country’s statistics bureau said on Friday.
Greenhouse gas emissions from Norway were 53.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 2015, an increase of 0.8 million tonnes compared with 2014, according to preliminary figures published by Statistics Norway.
Greenhouse gas emissions from extraction of oil and gas amounted to 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 2015. This is 0.3 million tonnes, or 2.3 percent, more than the preceding year.
The increase was largely due to a growth in the use of natural gas offshore. Emissions from oil and gas extraction made up 28 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions and continued to be the most important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions from Norway.
Manufacturing industries and mining was the second most biggest emission source, with 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 2015. These emissions rose by 0.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, or 3.1 percent, from 2014. Production of fertilizer and oil refining had the largest increase in 2015.
The figures published by Statistics Norway on Friday are preliminary and will be revised in December 2016.
