Norway says aims to go carbon neutral by 2030

Norway says aims to go carbon neutral by 2030
Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:43am EST

OSLO (Reuters) - The Norwegian government has reached an agreement with three opposition parties to bring forward a goal for Norway to go "carbon neutral" to 2030 from an earlier target of 2050, officials said on Thursday.

The Labour-led government said last year that Norway would aim to cut net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to nil by 2050 by reducing emissions at home and investing abroad in environmental projects that will give Norway CO2 credits.

The parties agreed to set the more ambitious target partly because reductions of CO2 attributable to forest growth in Norway will also be taken into account, the government said.

"The parties now think it is realistic to assume Norwegian climate gas emissions of 15-17 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents by 2020 when forests are included," the government said in a statement.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL1766015320080117?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews

First, as long as they keep importing cheap goods from China (or Africa by then), they are still indirectly emitting GHGs. Second, they have to account for future exploitation of oil/gas reserves in the North Sea, otherwise they would be enabling emissions to increase elsewhere. Finally, it just sounds sketchy to include forests to suck up emissions. At that rate, some countries like Canada or Russia or Brazil, with huge forest areas, would be able to hide their environmental record.

This is a commendable goal, but they should look at the global picture first.

are being actually followed in other countries in our demands for the US.

I do NOT disagree that Norway should go further. What is needed is a goal of 'net negative' global warming contribution, but clearly 'carbon neutral' by 2030 is ahead of where even "progressive" American political figures are now.

Basically Norway is a dangerous fossil fuel exporter.

The Norwegians were renewable in electricity - 100% came from hydroelectric - up until about 2 years ago but they've been building dangerous natural gas plants as fast as they can.

I very much doubt that they're building new dangerous fossil fuel plants with an expected 20 year lifetime.

It's nonsense, pure and simple.