Norwegian PM visits India and Nepal

Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg today begins his visit to India and Nepal. Main topics will be climate challenges, the fight against maternal and child mortality and Norwegian industrial opportunities in India. 

India of today stands out as one of the leading voices among emerging economies in international climate negotiations. The country will play a crucial role in the process towards the Copenhagen conference, in particular to secure a broader international treaty than the Kyoto Protocol. 

Ambitious international climate agreement
During his stay in New Delhi Stoltenberg will meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. An important topic on their agenda will be efforts to reach a new and comprehensive international climate agreement.

Prime Minister Singh recently said climate change represents a new and major threat against India’s development possibilities. Reports indicate that India may come to suffer more from climate change than most other countries, due to reduced agricultural production, more natural catastrophes and mortal epidemic diseases.

“India’s economic development is lifting millions of people out of poverty, and the country is among the engines of world growth. India has every right to develop, and Norway is eager to participate in making this growth sustainable and climate-friendly” Prime Minister Stoltenberg says. He says India has taken a lead in developing renewable energy technologies and in delivering CDM projects. 

Prime Minister Stoltenberg will deliver one of the main addresses at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, presided over by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rajendra Pachauri.

India is at present seeing rapid growth. Over the last five years its economic growth has been around eight per cent. In recent years several hundred millions of people have been brought out of poverty due to this growth. At the same time India’s energy consumption is steadily increasing. According to the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change more than half of India’s inhabitants have no access to electricity.

Electrification and industrial growth will lead to a dramatic increase in India’s energy consumption. At present India represents around four per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, but emissions rates per inhabitant are low.

According to estimates by the World Resources Institute and others, India is the world’s fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after the USA, China and Russia. India’s emissions are expected to double by 2030. The bulk of the country’s emissions come from coal-fired power plants, the country’s most important energy source.

Increased efforts for women and child health
Prime Minister Stoltenberg visited India in 2001 and 2005, and both times efforts to reduce child mortality were a central topic. Since then Norway has entered into a close cooperation with India on reducing mother and child mortality.

Each year close to ten million children under the age of five die of illnesses that may easily be prevented or cured. One of five of these children die in India, thus enhanced efforts are crucial in India. Norway has been promoting efficient vaccination campaigns as one tool to reduce child mortality.

In cooperation with the Indian Government work is now being stepped up to save the new-born. Close to two million of the children dying before the age of five, die during their first 24 hours. And the most dangerous day in a woman’s life is the day she gives birth. Prime Minister Stoltenberg will visit desert state Rajasthan to study Norwegian-Indian programmes for improved maternity and new-born health.

Norwegian business and industry expanding in India
Prime Minister Stoltenberg will also meet with Norwegian business and industry representatives in India. In recent years Norwegian business and industry has increased investment and trade in and with India. A number of companies belong to the field of renewable energy.

Norwegian exports to India saw a considerable growth last year, as was the case the year before. To this comes India’s export of services to Norway and sales to India by Norwegian companies abroad.

Around 35 Norwegian companies are at present established in India. In addition come several companies working through representatives of cooperation agreements. Companies belong to various sectors, dominating ones being the maritime sector, the chemical sector, information technology, oil and gas.

Climate threat to Asia’s water supplies
Prime Minister Stoltenberg will also visit Nepal, where a central topic will be climate threats to the water resources represented by the glaciers of the Himalayas. Often referred to as the world’s “third pole”, Himalayan glaciers are vital resources of freshwater and hydroelectric power, for fisheries, agriculture and transport. Increasing temperatures have already caused Himalayan glaciers to start diminishing.

Climate models estimate a further global temperature increase of two to four centigrade by the end of the century. In the worst case this could cause an 81 per cent reduction in Himalayan ices, major changes in water supply and increased danger of floods and droughts. This may affect as many as 1.3 billion people, mainly in India, Bangladesh, China and Pakistan.

Prime Minister Stoltenberg will also have political talks in Nepal.