State Secretary Deputy minister Krishna Chudasama, The Norwegian Ministry of Children and Equality

Opening comments at the Consumer Citizenship Network conference: Catalyzing change,

Hamar 15 May 2006

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First, I would like to thank you for the invitation to give an opening speech for the conference, and I will give a special welcome to all our foreign guests.

I think “Catalyzing change” is an excellent heading for the conference. It gives me a feeling of wanting to take part! "Catalyzing change" could also be the title of the accession declaration, the Soria Moria declaration, of the new Norwegian Government from October last year. Not least regarding environment and sustainability. The Declaration builds on the principle of sustainable development, the precautionary approach, and solidarity with the coming generations, with a measure of making Norway a leading country in environmental policies.

Sustainable development is one of our top priorities in consumer policy along with consumer education and information, and reduction of the commercial pressure on children and the young people.

Let me point out some of the ambitions in this declaration.

It addresses the need of making a closer coherence between consumer and environmental issues, and to make it easier for people to be eco-friendly in our everyday life.

Further, it underlines the governments own responsibility, stating that the government sector has to lead the way in responsible consumption, purchasing ecological products, and products that are made under high ethical and social standards. Three ministries, one of them my own, are cooperating to achieve this aim. And this is important because the government sector represents 1/3 of the country's purchasing power.

The declaration also stresses the public responsibility for food safety. All precautions should be taken to prevent additives and chemicals in products we use. In an active policy towards the European Union, we need to secure that directives in this field shall have the highest standards and that the precautionary approach should be used to prevent risks and insecurity. We will try to utilize the best aspects of the EU's environmental legislation, including parts which are not covered by the EEA Agreement. At the same time we need to work for higher standards for health, environment and all safety within the EEA area.

Policies must be followed by action. As you all know, attitudes are not enough. Our government will establish a state enterprise for waste minimizing and recycling. There is also a need for further strengthening of environmental information, and to make environmental labelling better known in the public. We recognize that Norway is behind other countries in the consumer's access to ecological products. The Government will strengthen the efforts in this respect. In the Soria Moria declaration, a goal is established that 15% of the food production and food consumption in the Norwegian market should be organic within 2015.

So much for our government, its priorities and ambitions.

I know that you all assembled here are experts with teaching experience both from your national school system, from universities and teacher training departments, doing scientific research and taking part in the development of your national educational policies. This should give a good opportunity for exchange of experience, listening and learning. The family of national states with an active consumer education and an interest in these matters is growing. We have registered that many of the new EU-members develop their school system to a more modern and relevant level, faster than many of us taking our own school system more or less for granted.

On the international level, not only CCN, but also UNESCO and the United Nation's Environmental Program (UNEP), represent value and inspiration. We do take an active part in UN's decade for education in sustainable development. In Norway we also implement UNEP's YouthXchange training kit on sustainable consumption in our schools. We continue this year, giving YouthXchange priority - and we more than expect that the themes will be integrated in every school.

The environment was an important element in the national curriculum from 1994 and 1997. But even more so in our newest curriculum called "The knowledge promotion". The full national implementation starts already in August and covers from the 1st up to 12 ^th> grade.

The consumer sector has supported this development and is very pleased with the emphasis now given to sustainable consumption. Consumer poli­cies must have a green basis.

Further, consumer protection and personal economy has found its natural place in the social sciences subject, and the topic "food and health" has been made more up-to-date and modern. This subject has placed itself in the centre of the challenges every household and person now meet - when food industrialization, heavy marketing and globalization makes individual choices concerning ones health and safety precautions more difficult than ever.

At present our practical priorities are:

teacher training

the new subjects in upper secondary school

the need for digital competence

the information channels to the schools; printed material and internet

And of course: international cooperation!

In our efforts, and in yours, I am sure that we have much to gain through cooperation and exchange of experiences. I hope you all understand that we appreciate all the work each and one of you are doing in the field of sustainable con­sump­tion and consumer education – and your assistance in making these important questions more visible both nationally, but also at the European level. We are convinced that this kind of cooperation will give us all very much more in return, than each and every one of us could do by ourselves.

The important matter is how we join our efforts in producing useful content for all levels in the school system, from the smallest school up to the national level, for all the teachers and students.

Thank you very much for your attention. I hope and trust you will have an interesting conference here at Hamar. And for those of you who use the opportunity to stay behind a few days: I hope you will enjoy the children's parade on the 17 ^th> of May with brightly coloured flags, and unique handmade national costumes, and taking part in other festivities on this day for national celebration of our Constitution from the year 1814.

Thank you for your attention!