Opening Address by H.E. Børge Brende, Minister of Environment, on the occasion of the symposium on Technology for a Modern Society -Managing Water and Waste, Athens 9 June 2004.

Technology for a Modern Society - Managing Water and Waste

Your Majesties, Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

I am like my Greek colleague honoured to address this Norwegian-Greek symposium on the important role of industry and environmental technology for a modern society.

Water and waste are global challenges.

1.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. 2.7 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. Increasing quantities of waste are being generated. Some 150 million tonnes of hazardous wastes are in addition produced every year, posing a severe burden on society and the environment.

We know that non-action with respect to these challenges comes at a high cost:

-In developing countries, 90 percent of the wastewater is discharged untreated, with severe adverse impacts on ecosystems and livelihoods.

-50 percent of hospital beds are occupied with patients suffering from water-related diseases. It has been estimated that deaths caused by waterborne diseases represent an annual economic lost of US$ 186 billion and that every dollar invested in water and sanitation will yield eight dollars in return.

-Vulnerable groups that live and work in proximity to toxic metals, pesticides and industrial chemicals experience severe impacts on health and productivity -making it all the more difficult to break out of the poverty trap.

Water and waste challenges call for targeted action at all levels. Non-action is not an option, whether it be in developing countries or in our own region. Efforts must include the private sector and the innovative solutions and resources that it commands.

Today's symposium is devoted to the technological responses needed to address challenges in our own region and in societies like ours, where water and waste are also key to our economies and welfare:

-Water shortages can hamper tourism on Greek Islands during peak season.

-Environmental toxins (brominated flame retardants) were recently registered in Mjøsa, Norway's biggest lake, causing doubts about the quality of its fishing industry. The fragile arctic environment has become the ultimate waste bin for toxic substances that move north by way of global wind and ocean flows.

-Landfills continue to be the dominant method of waste disposal, leading to methane emissions that contribute to global warming. (In some EU member states as much as 80% of municipal solid waste ends up in landfills.)

We must reduce waste and we must learn not to waste waste! Waste that is unsuitable for material recycling, but has a high energy potential, can be made into pellets and briquettes for heating purposes. Energy from incineration can be used as process heat in industry or for the production of electricity.

I am proud to report that in Norway in 2002 approximately 70% of all waste was either material recycled or energy recovered. (Yet methane still continues to stand for around 7% of our greenhouse gas emissions).

The most successful waste policies combine a mix of legislative, voluntary and economic instruments. We must promote producer responsibility and consumer action.

Norway was the first country in the world to introduce a take-back system for electronic and electrical products in 1999. It has been hugely successful in terms of waste collected. Compared to conventional collecting and treatment systems, the take-back systems, involving a fee that represents as little as between 1% and 1 ‰ of the market value of the product, have not turned out to be particularly expensive.

Depositing schemes involving a refund, even a small one, have successfully motivated people to take part in the recycling process. Norway has 25 years of experience with a deposit scheme for vehicles, which ensures that approximately 100% of all car wrecks become a part of the return system.

Norway and Greece are partners in an enlarged Europe and its internal market. We are both bound by the EU Water Framework Directive, setting up common goals for the state of the aquatic environment in Europe.

The implementation of the Mediterranean Action Plan and efforts to implement the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directives have led to significant improvements in the quality of freshwater and coastal waters in our region. I welcome Greece's efforts to increase its amount of wastewater treatment plants over the last few years.

The new Financial Mechanism under the European Economic Area (EEA) offers financial incentives for closer environmental cooperation between Norway and Greece, making this an excellent time and venue to make contacts here today. It is important that environmental authorities on both sides get actively involved in these new opportunities offered by the new funds.

Ambitious environmental standards and regulations go hand in hand with a forward-looking private sector. Our standards are high and environmental technology is one of the fastest growing markets today. In Germany an estimated 1,5 million jobs have been created over the last couple of years within this field, which is likely to become even more important as the 10 new Member States continue to take steps towards EU standards.

In Norway we have a good record of working in cooperation with our companies and their technologies in the pursuit of environmental goals. It is my hope that Norwegian companies can do a good job in Greece, just like I hope that Greek companies can do a good job in Norway.

Norwegian companies can deliver treatment solution for all types of wastewater - industrial as well as municipal – and can be used for organic, nitrogen and phosphorus removal. (The Kaldnes Moving Bed process is now being used in more than 300 installations worldwide).

We have considerable experience in developing small- scale wastewater treatment technologies adapted to local conditions and recipients. Like Greece, Norway has a dispersed settlements structure with many small and remote communities.

Norwegian companies have developed pioneering technology for desalination involving record-low use of energy combined with moderate investment costs and great reliability in the water production.

Norway has expertise within small-scale waste plants. Improved incineration technology and cleaning processes helped bring about Norway's 70-90% reduction of dangerous substances emissions (like mercury, cadmium and dioxins) between 1990 and 2000.

Let me also mention Norwegian Tomra and their cost-effective systems for recovering used beverage containers for reuse and recycling, that has been put to successful use in Europe and North America. The recycling of aluminium cans requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce new cans.

New solutions and technologies are needed if we are to de-link economic growth from environmental pressures and respond to the global challenges. After all, zero growth cannot be an option - but zero emissions certainly can.

I wish you the best of luck with the symposium on water and waste solutions.