Norway’s long-term low-emission strategy for 2050 – An innovative society with attractive towns and communities.

This Strategy presents the Government’s general priorities and important considerations for the pathway towards a low-emission society in 2050, and has been formulated in compliance with Article 4, paragraph 19, of the Paris Agreement, which encourages countries to formulate and communicate long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies. The Strategy is based on the targets already set out in Norway’s Climate Change Act, and as such does not entail new international commitments for Norway. The document contains the following three Chapters: 1. The basis for a low-emission society; 2. A low-emission future; and 3. The pathway to a low-emission society.
Norway's long term goal is to become a low-emission society with an effective use of resources and a competitive business sector. To promote the conversion of Norway into a low-emission society, the Government will submit updated climate targets before the parliament in 2020, and thereafter every five years. The Government's general priorities include: realigning Norway's economy and contributing to making Norway a low-emission society by 2050, safeguarding biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable welfare state; conducting an ambitious climate and environmental policy based on the precautionary approach; and conducting an aggressive policy to facilitate a green shift of the Norwegian economy.
In the area of taxation, the Government will consider a general tax on all non-ETS emissions. If such taxation is not sufficient or appropriate, other alternatives will be explored that gives an equivalent strong incentive. It will also gradually increase the CO2 taxation with 5 % annually up to 2025. As regards the labor market and innovation and technology developments for low-emission solutions, the Government will: conduct an ambitious climate policy that reduces emissions, strengthens Norway's competitiveness, and creates green growth and new green jobs; intensify research efforts for transitioning towards a low-emissions society, and prioritize development of new technologies and solutions for the green shift; establish a close relationship with the business sector to create profitable, green jobs based on their own pathways to a low-emissions society and on the principle of green competitiveness; and establish Enova as an important tool in climate policy, and further Enova's position to support the us of low-emission technologies in all sectors.
Taking into account that the Government spends more than 500 billions NOK in procurement every year, the Government will: stimulate increased cooperation between the public sector, businesses and research institutes through innovative public procurement; formulate a plan to increase the share of climate and environmental friendly procurement and green innovation; and develop tools for identifying the effects and costs of setting environmental requirements in public procurement.
As regards international cooperation in other countries, the Government will: position Norway as a promoter in international climate efforts; increase climate financing to reach the Paris Agreement's goals, and prioritize measures that are in line with specific countries' plans on climate and emissions; contribute to developing cost-effective technology for capturing, transporting and storing CO2; contribute through its development policy to preventing and solving climate and environmental challenges by providing financial support, technology collaboration and capacity building, in accordance with developing countries' own plans to fulfill their obligations under the Paris Agreement. Finally, as regards consumer and lifestyle habits, the Government will: work to strengthen existing international labelling schemes; and formulate a national strategy on circular economy.