Norway: serious about funding climate change

Prime Minister Jen Stoltenberg's administration is committed to making Norway carbon neutral by 2030.

They plan on doing this by offsetting emissions by planting forests, as well as constructing a technology center for capture, transport, and storage of carbon.

"Technology for handling carbon dioxide will be one of the most important tools in the fight against global warming," Stoltenberg said.

The administration has also agreed to increase funding for climate change, by 3.5 billion crowns in 2010, which is an increase by 1.6 billion in 2009, "This is a lot of money but we know a lot will be required," Asbjoern Torvanger of the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research.

The administration's ultimate goal is to become the world leader in carbon capture; it is already the world's sixth largest producer of oil.

The administration has already set several other benchmarks such as lowering carbon levels by 40 percent by 2020, and raising 5 billion pounds by developing renewable energy and energy efficiency.

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Author: Caitlin Martinez

Photo: Troms Arbeiderparti/flickr