EU & Norway sign green alliance for climate action & clean energy

The EU-Norway Green Alliance, prepared and negotiated under the auspices of executive vice-president for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans, will focus on various priority areas. This includes strengthening efforts to combat climate change, increasing cooperation on environmental issues, supporting the green industrial transition, accelerating the clean energy transition, decarbonising the transport sector, promoting sustainable finance and investments, and consolidating existing collaboration on research, education, and innovation, the European Commission said in a press release.

The agreement was signed in Brussels by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Norway's prime minister, Jonas Gahr Store. Both sides have reiterated their commitment to achieving their respective 2030 targets of at least 55 per cent greenhouse gas emission reductions compared to 1990 and to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

The agreement also aims to keep global temperature rise within the 1.5C limit under the Paris Agreement while ensuring energy security, environmental protection, and human rights. The EU and Norway will work closely together to ensure the successful implementation of the Paris Agreement and the historic biodiversity agreement reached at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).

The EU and Norway, as leading major donors of climate finance, will cooperate to support developing countries and emerging economies in the process of implementing their climate and environment policies. They also agree to jointly promote ambitious climate action on the global stage, and the agreement confirms that full respect for the precautionary principle is paramount in the Arctic region, the release added.

“Norway is a long-standing and reliable partner to the EU, and we share a common vision for building a climate-neutral continent. We want our societies and economies to prosper together while reducing emissions, protecting nature, decarbonising our energy systems, and greening our industries. This green alliance makes our bond even stronger and allows us to design a better future together,” said Ursula von der Leyen.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)