In June 2006, Norway published its Action Plan for Environment in Development Cooperation. This was a follow-up to a white paper entitled Fighting Poverty Together: A coherent policy for development (Report No. 35 (2003-2004) to the Storting, the Norwegian parliament). In its recommendation regarding the white paper, the Storting’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs asked the Government to develop an action plan for Norway’s overall environmental development cooperation. In its policy platform of 2005, the current Government reinforced this line by stating its intention for Norway to play a leading role in integrating environmental issues into development cooperation.

Minister of International Development Erik Solheim and Minister of the Environment Helen Bjørnøy launched the new action plan on 29 June 2006. “The global environment is being destroyed and it is the poorest who are most severely affected by these changes,” said Minister of International Development Erik Solheim, who indicated that the budget for this cooperation would be substantially increased.
The Government will advocate putting environmental issues higher on the national and international agenda. Norway will concentrate its efforts on four thematic priority areas:

• sustainable management of biological diversity and natural resources
• water resources management, water and sanitation
• climate change and access to clean energy
• hazardous substances

Norway’s environmental development cooperation is intended to assist developing countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and help poor people to improve their health and living conditions. There is a close link between the environment and poverty. Poverty reduction and development are dependent on the conservation of nature’s services and natural resources, local participation in the management of nature and the environment and strengthening the rights of the local population to natural resources.

 “Competent environmental management and an active environmental movement are important in order to ensure sustainable development. This is true both in the North and in the South. It is vital to improve environmental capacity and competence in our partner countries,” said Minister of the Environment Helen Bjørnøy.