Norges hovedinnlegg under klimaforhandligene i Warszawa

COP 19 Warsaw 2013

National Statement

Minister of Climate and Environment, Ms Tine Sundtoft, Norway

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

We have come to Warsaw to tend to the world's most urgent business: To limit global warming.

I took office only a few weeks ago. Our Government will base its policies on the responsibility to safeguard the planet and on the precautionary principle.

Science has spoken: Human influence on the climate system is clear. If we fail to act, we cannot blame lack of information.

We need a generation perspective on what we are doing today.

Norway will do its part of the work.

My ambition is to strengthen our domestic climate action plan for 2020. We will speed up action in the following areas:

- Support to climate friendly technology.

- Cost efficient deployment of the Carbon Capture and Storage technology.

- Public transport in the big cities.

- Low or no emission technology as a rule for public transport vehicles.

- Tax reduction for energy efficiency measures in private homes.

- Green tax reform.

Norway also supports a number of international initiatives to enhance action before 2020. Our biggest contribution is efforts aimed at preventing deforestation and forest degradation. Norway also supports the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants, also financially.

The 2015 agreement should contain the numbers. I trust Warsaw will be a real "kick-off" for a process where all countries prepare to put forward national pledges during 2014.

It cannot be a question of either achieving growth or tackling global warming. It must be both.

We need to stimulate research, technology development and industries to invest in solutions for the future. A new legally binding instrument could provide a level playing field.

I wish to quote Christiana Figueres.

"We have a choice....... A choice to change the future we are going to give our children."

I could not agree more.

Thank you.