9 Education, training and public awareness

9.1 Introduction

The text of the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) refers directly to education, training and public awareness, and these issues have been important elements of the Norwegian climate policy since the 1990s. Several activities have been initiated to give the general public a better understanding of climate change and its effects. This in turn should result in support for policy measures to deal with climate change and also encourage public participation in climate-related measures; in accordance with national policy for the green shift.

The Ministry of Education and Research is working closely across departments and ministries on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national and global level. Each year, the ministry reports on progress for the SDGs to the Norwegian parliament, in the budget proposal. The Ministry of Education and Research is responsible for the national coordination of SDG 4: Quality Education, and is cooperating closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the follow-up of SDG 4 internationally. Norway is an active supporter of UNESCOs leading role in the global coordination of SDG 4. In an effort towards strengthening global academic and student mobility, Norway was the first country to ratify the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in 2020.

9.2 Education

Awareness of and knowledge about issues related to sustainable development and climate change has long been embedded in the Norwegian education system. Norway takes part in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and UNESCO’s the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development.Norway has set benchmarks for the global indicators of SDG 4, as part of the process initiated by UNESCO in 2021. The benchmarks were reviewed in 2022 and benchmarks were set for the seventh indicator on gender equity. The national benchmarks are aligned with national policies and strategies, and the targets they contain. National indicators were suggested as part of the National Action Plan for the 2030 Agenda, and the government will follow up on the further development of national indicators for SDG 4 in cooperation with Statistics Norway.

9.2.1 Early Childhood Education and Care

Kindergartens play an important role in promoting values, attitudes and practices for more sustainable communities, and Kindergartens shall promote sustainable development. The Kindergarten Act states that the children must learn to take care of themselves, each other and nature.

The Framework Plan for Kindergartens is a regulation on the contents and tasks of Kindergartens and the most recent version was adopted in 2017. One of the core values is sustainable development. Sustainable development is about how people who are alive today can have their basic needs met without denying future generations the opportunity to fulfil theirs. It is about thinking and acting locally, nationally and globally. Kindergartens shall help make the children understand that their actions today have consequences for the future.

Furthermore, one of the seven learning areas is “nature, environment and technology”. Kindergartens shall foster the children’s ability to think critically, act ethically and show solidarity. Children shall be given opportunities to give care and to look after their surroundings and the natural environment. For Sami children, this means living in harmony with, making use of and reaping the land. The children shall be given outdoor experiences and discover the diversity of the natural world, and kindergartens shall help the children to feel connectedness with nature.

9.2.2 Primary and Secondary Education

The Education Act states that the pupils and apprentices must learn to think critically and act ethically and with environmental awareness.

The core curriculum – values and principles for primary and secondary education and training – is part of the curriculum LK20 and LK20S that was adopted in 2020. The core curriculum elaborates on the core values in the Education Act and the overriding principles for primary and secondary education and training. Respect for nature and environmental awareness is part of the core values of the education and training. School shall help the pupils to develop an appreciation of nature so they can enjoy and respect nature and develop climate and environmental awareness. Throughout their schooling the pupils must acquire knowledge about and develop respect for nature. They must experience nature and see it as a resource and as a source of utility, joy, health and learning. The pupils shall develop awareness of how our lifestyles impact nature and the climate, and thus also our societies. The school shall help the pupils to develop the willingness to protect the environment.

In the Norwegian curriculum, three interdisciplinary topics are prioritised. These are health and life skills, sustainable development and democracy and citizenship. The interdisciplinary topics are based on prevailing societal challenges which demand engagement and effort from individuals and local communities, nationally and globally. The pupils develop competence in connection with the interdisciplinary topics by working with issues from various subjects. They shall gain insight into challenges and dilemmas in these topics. Pupils must understand where we can find solutions through knowledge and collaboration, and they must learn about the relationship between actions and consequences.

Sustainable development as an interdisciplinary topic in school shall help the pupils to understand basic dilemmas and developments in society, and how they can be dealt with. In working with this topic the pupils shall develop competence which enables them to make responsible choices and to act ethically and with environmental awareness. The pupils must learn to understand that all individual activities and choices are significant.

9.2.3 Higher education

The Parliament recently adopted changes to the Act relating to universities and university colleges in which the commitment to promote sustainable development is stated explicitly in the act for the first time.

The Norwegian government’s white paper on research Meld. St. 5 (2022–2023) Long-term plan for research and higher education 2023–2032 outlines the Government policy for research and higher education. The white paper identifies climate change as the defining challenge in the world today. The Government will scale up appropriations to research and higher education within six long-term priority areas:

• Oceans and coastal areas
• Climate, the environment and energy
• Health Enabling and industrial technologies
• Social security and preparedness
• Trust and community

Norway is part of the global knowledge development trend and participates extensively in international cooperation on research and education with countries throughout the world. Norway is participating in Erasmus+, the world’s largest educational exchange. The 2021–2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion and the green and digital transitions. The Government states in the white paper that it will continue its work to stimulate institution-based, long-term international collaboration.

9.3 Information

9.3.1 Generation Green – Climate Ambassadors

The Generation Green-initiative with Climate Ambassadors was a National Climate lecture tour in Norwegian middle schools and upper secondary schools (high school). The goal was to enhance climate change education and public awareness by creating a balance between education and positive storytelling that legitimizes and strengthens climate change as an important part of the curriculum.

9.3.2 The Environmental Information Act

The Ministry of Climate and Environment uses all available channels and information activities to provide different target groups with relevant information. The Environmental Information Act96 entered into force on 1 January 2004. It aims to ensure public access to environmental information in accordance with Section 112 of the Norwegian Constitution97 and Norway’s obligations pursuant to the UNECE Aarhus Convention98. It provides any person with a legal right to obtain environmental information, both from the public authorities and from public and private undertakings. It obligates not only public authorities but also public and private undertakings to hold environmental information as defined in Section 2 and to provide access to such information.

The notion of environmental information is broadly defined and covers factual information and assessments concerning

• the status and development of the environment (including archaeological and architectural monuments and sites and cultural environments),
• factors that affect or may affect it,
• human health, safety and living conditions to the extent that they are or may be affected by the state of the environment or factors that affect or may affect it

Public authorities are obligated to hold general environmental information relevant to their areas of responsibility and functions, and make it accessible to the public. This obligation is implemented through a number of freely accessible websites such as http://www.environment.no/ and http://www.norskeutslipp.no/en/Frontpage/. Public authorities are obliged to provide access on request to environmental information which they have or are obliged to hold as stated above. Rejection of individual requests for access to environmental information from public authorities may be appealed to the authority immediately superior to the one rejecting the request, and a complaint may also be submitted to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

The Act obligates public and private undertakings to hold information about factors relating to their operations that may have an appreciable effect on the environment and to supply such information on request. All areas of activity are included and the obligation applies not only to commercial enterprises but also other organised activities. In practice, only private households are excluded from the obligation. It gives any person the right to request information on everything from how products and services are produced and supplied, the content of the products to what products and services are bought and used by the undertakings. Information on substances or product attributes that are or may be harmful to health and the environment must be available at all stages of production and use and be readily available for the users of the products.

Products that do not have any effects on the environment in Norway, may have environmentally harmful effects abroad during production and distribution. The Act gives any person the right to ask for this kind of information too.

An appeals board has been established to handle complaints concerning rejections of requests for information from public and private undertakings. The provisions regulating the composition and functioning of the appeals board requires that half the members of the appeals board have an industry background, and that the other half have a background from an environmental organisation, a consumer organisation or the media. The existence of the appeals board ensures proper evaluation and control of whether requests for information from public and private enterprises are handled in accordance with the Act.

A guideline99 for the Environmental Information Act was published in Norwegian in 2020 in order to among others make the Act more known and used.

9.3.3 Public websites

State of the Environment Norway (www.miljostatus.no) aims to provide the public with the latest information about the state and development of the environment in Norway. The Ministry of Climate and Environment has assigned the production of State of the Environment Norway to the environmental authorities. The Norwegian Environment Agency has the overall editorial responsibility. The website covers twelve environmental topics which are further divided into several subtopics. Each topic is presented in a simple and easy-to-follow way and provides access to more detailed scientific presentations. The website includes an interactive map and environmental data available for download. Norway’s environmental targets are also found here.

The Norwegian Environment Agency also has the editorial responsibility for the Norwegian Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR). The website www.norskeutslipp.no provides the public with information on chemical substances and pollutants released to air, water and soil from industrial activities in Norway, in addition to waste generated from industry. The data is searchable and can be presented by industry sector, by facility, by a chemical substance or groups of substances.

9.3.4 Statistics and guidance material to counties and municipalities

Municipalities and counties possess instruments to contribute to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and need a sound knowledge base to make informed decisions. The knowledge base should consist of both statistics or inventories to track progress, and methodologies to calculate the potential for greenhouse gas emission reductions for different mitigation actions. Statistics Norway publishes statistics on greenhouse gas emissions at the county level. An analysis of greenhouse gas emissions for municipalities is produced and published by the Norwegian Environment Agency at https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/tjenester/klimagassutslipp-kommuner/.

The Norwegian Environment Agency has also developed and published guidance and tools to help counties and municipalities to quantify the potential effect of different mitigation actions. These are published at https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/tjenester/klimagassutslipp-kommuner/beregne-effekt-av-ulike-klimatiltak/

The Norwegian Environment Agency provides guidance on climate and energy planning for municipalities.100 This guidance includes, among other topics, guidance on:

• How to organize and develop climate and energy plans, and what are the formal requirements
• How to set goals and develop an action plan
• How to use statistics
• How to calculate the effect of mitigation actions
• Examples of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use

In addition, the NEA share knowledge and experiences from municipal and regional projects through regular webinars, a podcast and an online searchable list of all projects that have received funding from the directorate. We also facilitate a range of physical and digital conferences, seminars and discussion groups for sharing knowledge.

9.3.5 Consumer information

Providing information about the environmental effects of products throughout their life cycles is an essential part of efforts to promote sustainable consumption patterns. The Nordic environmental label (Nordic Swan Label) is the predominant official eco-label in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. The label is awarded only to those products in a product range that fulfil strict criteria for environmental impact throughout their life cycles. The Swan Label has been developed through cooperation between governments and business, environmental and consumer organisations, and the overall aim of the label is to stimulate both the supply of and demand for products with a reduced environmental impact. The label is available for 55 different product groups counting more than 200 different product types. More than 25 000 different products are sold with the Nordic Swan ecolabel in the Nordic countries. Everything from detergent to furniture and hotels can carry the Swan label. The Swan is a widely recognised eco-label in the Norwegian market. According to a Nordic consumer survey in 2019, nine out of ten Nordic consumers know the Nordic Swan ecolabel.

Figure 9.1

Figure 9.2 The Nordic Swan Label

Norway also takes part in the EU eco-labelling system (the Flower). There are over 83 000 products certified with the EU flower and it is most common in countries such as Spain, Italy, France and Germany. There is a close and active cooperation and coordination between the Flower and the Nordic Swan. The Swan Label is a member of the Global Eco-labelling Network (GEN), which is a non-profit association of eco-labelling organisations from around the world.

Figure 9.3 The EU flower

Norway has implemented EU-directives relating to energy efficiency.

The EU Energy Labelling Directive (2017/1369) regards energy labelling of products such as televisions, lighting, refrigerators, freezers and their combinations, tumble driers, washing machines, combined washer-driers, and air-conditioners. The label shows the product`s energy efficiency performance according to a classification system under the directive.

Directive 2018/844 amends the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/). The five ‘overarching’ standards have in common that each of these describes an important step in the assessment of the energy performance of building.

9.4 Public procurement policies

A revised law on public procurement was adopted by the Parliament in 2016. The law as well as revised regulations on public procurement procedures under the law entered into force from 1.1.2017. This regulatory reform includes implementation of the revised EU-directives on public procurement from 2014 into Norwegian legislation. The Norwegian law on public procurement includes a general duty for contracting authorities at central, regional and local administrative levels within the scope of the law, to ensure that the procurement policy of the authority does not cause adverse environmental effects and promotes climate friendly solutions where relevant. The law underlines life cycle cost assessments as particularly relevant tools when applying a cost-effective approach to the most economically advantageous tender and when assessing the best price-quality ratio. The regulations under the law stress the duty for the contracting authorities to minimise the environmental consequences of public procurement of works, supplies and services. The regulations allow for environmental aspects to be taken into account at various stages of the procurement process. Furthermore, a new procurement relevant regulation has been introduced establishing that all new vehicles/personal cars purchased after 01.01.2022 must be zero emission vehicles, from 2023 this will also be the case for small vans. Similar regulations are in the pipeline for ferries from 2024 and speed boats from 2025.

As a signatory to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Norway is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50–55 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. The aim is to be a low emission country by 2050, as defined in the Norwegian Climate Change Act. The public sector must help ensure that we meet these targets.

A national action plan to increase the proportion of green public procurement and green innovation was launched 9^th September 2021. The action plan was prepared by the Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management (DFØ) in close collaboration with the Norwegian Environmental Agency. The objective of the action plan is to increase the proportion of green public procurement and green innovation during the period leading up to 2030. The action plan will help achieve this objective by clarifying governing priorities for contracting authorities and by advising which actions and measures to implement. A list of priority public procurement categories is provided where the contracting authorities should generally include environmental requirements or criteria to help minimize environmental impact and promote zero and low emission solutions and a circular economy:

• transport
• building, construction and property (BCP)
• food and catering services
• plastic products and products containing plastics
• ICT/electrical and electronic products
• batteries
• furniture
• textiles

The Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management (DFØ) is responsible for implementing several of the actions in the action plan, including a program for a green competence boost for procurements in Norway, including development of green public procurement criteria, a help desk and a regional task force; continue and strengthening management development programs with a focus on green procurement and innovation culture; continuing to improve access to statistics and data on green and innovative public procurement; as well as a program to include technology start-ups in the procurement process, run by DFØ, the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency and LUP in cooperation with market actors.

9.5 Resource and information centres

The state-owned enterprise Enova contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and development of climate and energy technology, mainly by providing grants for projects in businesses, households and as well as local and regional governments. Enova also provides advisory services for both business and individuals. For individuals, there is a focus on the need to acquire information at an early stage in the decision making proses, as well as assistance with the actual application process. The advisory services are provided through a dedicated website and through the Ask Enova service. Ask Enova received almost 35 000 inquiries in 2021.

9.6 Participation in international activities

Both Norwegian governmental and non-governmental organisations engage in activities at international level which contributes to the enhanced, collective ability of Parties to implement the Convention and the Paris Agreement. These activities and the support provided for these activities, are described in the various chapters, and in particular in chapter 7 of this report.

9.7 Involvement of the public and non-governmental organisations

Norway aims to have a high degree of transparency and broad involvement in environmental policymaking and implementation of regulations. Norwegian environmental authorities have a long tradition of including the civil society in environmental policymaking. For example, Norway provides annual financial support to a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) listed in the Government’s annual budget.

Norway included Civil Society Assessment of national progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, in the Voluntary National Review to the UN in 2021.

Legal proposals (laws and regulations) are generally subject to open hearings where civil society can voice their opinion. Civil society can also interact with the government and the Parliament in relation to other policy tools, such as budget proposals and white papers. In 2021 the government appointed an official committee to investigate which choices Norway faces in order to achieve the goal of becoming a low-emission society by 2050. The committee has organized webinars and invited views as a basis for the committee’s further work. The committee will deliver it’s report before November 2023.

Norway also has a tradition of involving NGOs in the preparations before COP-meetings and when developing new climate policies. For example in relation to the follow up on the Glasgow Climate Pacts call for parties to assess whether their NDC are aligned with the Paris Agreements temperature goal the Minister for Climate and Environment invited NGOs, children and youth and scientists to give their input. Before COP-meetings the Minister of Climate and Environments also invites NGOs and children and youth to provide their views on what Norwegian priorities in the climate negotiations should be.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment also provides financial support for NGOs to participate in different international meetings. Norway also aims to involve the NGOs in the preparations for such meetings, and to give them the possibilities to contribute actively during the meetings. NGOs are represented in the official Norwegian delegation under UN Climate Negotiations, and under UNEP’s board meetings.

European legislation through the EEA is an important pillar in Norwegian environmental policy, including on climate change. Norway also has an EEA environment reference group, where civil society is represented, together with governmental organisations. The purpose is to let the organisations participate in the consultation process before EEA environmental legislation is implemented in the EEA Agreement.

The National Communication is a description of the situation, policies and instruments related to climate change, and the public is therefore not involved in the preparation of this report.

9.8 Monitoring, review and evaluation of the implementation of article 6 of the convention

Norway has no formal monitoring, review and evaluation process in place for assessing the implementation of Article 6 of the UNFCCC. However, implementation of Article 6 is taken into account as part of other commitments related to mitigation, adaptation and international cooperation.