Emission reductions in Norway Sample Clauses

Emission reductions in Norway. In the white paper on Norwegian climate policy, the Government estimated on the basis of a mitigation analysis drawn up by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, sectoral climate action plans and current policy instruments that a realistic target would be to reduce Norwegian emissions by 13-16 million tonnes CO2 equivalents relative to the reference scenario presented in the National Budget for 2007, when CO2 uptake by forests is included. Under the present agreement, efforts in several fields will be stepped up; these include renewable energy, research and technological developments, and measures to reduce emissions from the transport sector. In the parties’ opinion, it is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the effect additional measures will have in 2020. Among other things, the parties would like to emphasise that it is uncertain when, to what extent and in which sectors an expansion of the research effort will give results in the form of emission reductions. The target on which the parties have agreed is also based on the assumption that currently unknown technology will be developed. However, the parties have assessed that the new measures make it realistic to assume that emissions in Norway can be reduced by more than the white paper indicates. Thus, the parties consider that the reduction target set out in the white paper can be increased to 15- 17 million tonnes CO2 equivalents relative to the reference scenario presented in the National Budget for 2007, when CO2 uptake by forests is included. In this case, about two-thirds of the cuts in emissions would be made in Norway. Because the level of uncertainty is so high, the parties did not consider it appropriate to split the overall reduction by sector. The parties note that the adoption of a new international climate agreement will make it necessary to revise national targets and instruments and re-evaluate how Norway’s overall efforts should be organised to optimise their contribution to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.