Department for Marine Management and Pollution Control

The department develops strategy and policy aimed at the marine environment, pollution, chemicals and product regulation, waste (including marine litter and microplastics) and environmental considerations in EEA, and trade and investment agreements.

The department consists of the following sections

  • Department Secretariat

    The Department Secretariat is responsible for the department's work on the national budget, financial management, grant management, reporting, central government accounts and its own accounts. It contributes to the management of the Norwegian Environment Agency, the Norwegian Maritime Authority and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, provides leadership support in personnel management and coordinates/handles administrative matters for the department.

    Deputy Director General Mari Archer Sæther

  • Section for EEA and Trade

    The section has chief responsibility for the Ministry's follow-up of the EEA Agreement, EFTA and the Nordic Council of Ministers, as well as the EEA and Norway Grants, and the Nordic environmental financing institution NEFCO. It is also responsible for environmental aspects of trade agreements, the Environmental Information Act, the Aarhus Convention and state aid.

    Deputy Director General Agnethe Dahl

  • Section for Pollution Control

    The section is responsible for international cooperation, including with the EU/EEA, and development of national policy relating to long-range air pollution. It has a special responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Pollution Control Act and the Product Control Act with associated regulations. It is also responsible for emissions and discharges from, for example, industry, aquaculture and sewage, as well as the environmental impact of radiation in Norway.

    Deputy Director General Vidar Vik

  • Section for Marine Environment

    The section has overall responsibility for the integrated management plans for the Norwegian marine environment, the protection of marine biodiversity, and for pollution control and other impacts on the marine environment. It is also responsible for international cooperation on the marine environment and for follow-up of a number of international conventions in the field. The section is also responsible for the work with green shipping nationally and internationally.

    Deputy Director General Anja Elisenberg

  • Section for Sustainable Products

    The section is responsible for international cooperation, including with the EU/EEA, and national policy development in the area of more sustainable products and value chains in a more circular economy. This includes inter alia the chemicals policy, the development of a new framework for sustainable products (ecodesign) as part of the EU/EEA and environmental issues related to key value chains such as plastics and batteries. It has a special responsibility for the Product Control Act with associated regulations and the proposed new law for sustainable products and value chains. It is responsible for several chemicals conventions and the work related to the development of a new global, legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution.

    Deputy Director General Mona Aarhus

  • Section for Waste and Resource Efficiency

    The section is responsible for international cooperation, including with the EU/EEA, and national policy development in the area of waste. This includes inter alia instruments and measures for better utilization of waste as a resource in a more circular economy, such as increased material recycling and re-use, schemes for extended producer responsibility, work to reduce food waste and cleaning up marine litter. It is also responsible for the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes.

    Deputy Director General Hege Jordbakke