The European Union and Norway have forged a powerful partnership, establishing a Green Alliance to accelerate their joint climate action, environmental protection efforts and cooperation on clean energy. The historic agreement was signed in Brussels by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre.
The two leaders emphasized their shared commitment to building a climate-neutral continent, reducing emissions, protecting nature, decarbonising their energy systems, and greening their industries. They pledged to keep the global temperature rise within the 1.5C limit under the Paris Agreement while ensuring energy security, environmental protection, and human rights.
In her statement, Von der Leyen emphasized the importance of the Green Alliance, stating, “This Green Alliance makes our bond even stronger and allows us to design a better future together.” She added, “Norway is a long-standing and reliable partner to the EU, and we share a common vision for a sustainable future.”
The EU and Norway have both set ambitious 2030 targets of at least 55% greenhouse gas emission reductions compared to 1990, and to achieving climate neutrality at the latest by 2050. The Green Alliance will focus on several priority areas, including accelerating the clean energy transition with a focus on hydrogen and offshore renewable energy, strengthening efforts to combat climate change, including cooperation on climate adaptation, carbon pricing, carbon removals, and carbon capture, transport, utilisation and storage.
The Green Alliance will also increase cooperation on environmental issues, with a focus on halting and reversing biodiversity loss, forest degradation and deforestation, promoting circular economy and addressing the full life cycle of plastics, the development of global standards for the management of chemicals and waste, and sustainable ocean management.
This groundbreaking agreement is only the second of its kind, following the EU-Japan Green Alliance signed in 2021. Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans played a key role in the preparation and negotiation of the agreement, which is the most comprehensive form of bilateral engagement established under the European Green Deal.
The EU and Norway have taken a significant step forward in their commitment to fighting climate change and promoting sustainable development. With the Green Alliance, they will work closely together to ensure the successful implementation of the Paris Agreement and the historic biodiversity agreement reached at the UN Biodiversity conference COP15. Together, they can build a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.
