Norway and EU establish Green Alliance
Press release | Date: 24/04/2023 | Office of the Prime Minister
‘Norway and the European Union have ambitious goals for climate action and the green transition. The Green Alliance with the EU will facilitate the creation of future green jobs in Norway,’ said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Today the Norwegian Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the establishment of a Green Alliance between Norway and the EU. The announcement was made in Brussels in connection with the North Sea Summit in Ostend.
‘This is a historic agreement. Cooperation and joint efforts will be essential to our success in achieving our climate targets and implementing the green transition. The Green Alliance established with the EU today will provide a framework for closer climate, energy and industrial cooperation between Norway and the EU,’ said Mr Støre.
Concrete plans
In February 2022, Mr Støre and Ms Von der Leyen announced an aim to strengthen climate, energy and industrial cooperation between Norway and the EU. This has been followed up with political discussions and concrete plans for increased cooperation in a range of areas such as battery production, critical raw materials, and energy. The Green Alliance takes this work a step further by creating an overall framework for mutually beneficial cooperation between Norway and the EU in important green sectors.
‘The Green Alliance will be broad in scope and will at the same time focus on key opportunities for Norway and Europe alike. Several areas have been specifically mentioned, including carbon capture and storage, offshore wind power, hydrogen, critical raw materials, batteries and green shipping. These are areas where Norway can play a leading role,’ said Mr Støre.
Norway, the EU and the EU member states will be devoting enormous resources in the coming decades to developing a more sustainable, green economy.
Jobs in Norway
‘One of the main benefits to Norway of this kind of alliance is the opportunities it offers to create new jobs in the renewables sector in the time ahead. This is an area of great potential for Norwegian business and industry, and the Government will do all it can to establish the necessary framework conditions,’ said Mr Støre.
A Green Alliance with the EU provides a platform for partnership on related value chains, as well as for cooperation in other areas such as climate action, energy, transport, sustainable financing and research. This is not a legally binding agreement as such, but represents a common understanding between Norway and the EU on what the priority areas for the green transition will be moving forward.
‘A Green Alliance will help to enhance cooperation on the green transition between Norway and the EU in international forums and with non-EU countries as well. This will also be important in the efforts to provide ongoing support to developing countries to achieve emission cuts and to promote the green transition beyond Europe’s borders,’ said Mr Støre.