Climate partnership between Norway, Ethiopia and UK expands with new partner countries

Today, a number of European countries announced that they will support the climate partnership between Norway, Ethiopia and the UK. The Lima Declaration shows how Ethiopia and the international community will contribute toward achieving Ethiopia's climate targets and targets for economic development.

The climate partnership beetween Ethiopia, Norway and the UK was established at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP17) in Durban in 2011. The countries now joining the climate partnership through the so-called Lima Declaration are Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden.

“This is a very important message to the world's developing countries that their climate efforts are being noticed and may lead to increased international support. Ethiopia is an example of a developing country that has taken great responsibility against global warming – and shown that this is possible in combination with economic growth,” says Norway's Minister of Climate and the Environment, Tine Sundtoft.

From grey to green growth
As far back as 2011 Norway announced support of up to NOK 360 million annually for the implementation of Ethiopia's Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy (CRGE). This plan shows how Ethiopia will ensure economic growth without increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In order to achieve this, Ethiopia will reduce emissions from deforestation and household energy, and work for green investments in agriculture.

“We are very pleased that more countries are joining the climate partnership with Ethiopia. In addition to being an important international message, it will contribute to strengthen the implementation of Ethiopia's green growth strategy. This is good news for the climate, and allows for more inclusive growth that will give Ethiopians increased rights,” Sundtoft says.

She also said that it is very positive that Ethiopia's new partner countries all are countries that lead the way in global climate policy.

“Country partnerships such as this will strengthen international dialogue on the road to reaching a global agreement in Paris in 2015, and also demonstrates how important real action is now,” Sundtoft says.

Greatest emissions from deforestation and agriculture.
Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest and one of Africa's most densely populated countries, with more than 80 million inhabitants. In the next 10-15 years it is Ethiopia's goal to become a middle-income country on a par with South Africa and Egypt. This is to be achieved without increasing greenhouse gas emissions, which currently are estimated at around 150 million tons annually.

Most of Ethiopia's current emissions are from agriculture and deforestation. Reduced deforestation, tree planting, the development of renewable energy and increased productivity in agriculture will ensure that the total emissions remain at current levels, although emissions in some sectors will increase as a result of economic growth. The climate partnership with Norway is primarily related to the forestry, energy and agricultural sectors. 

More information on the climate partnership with Ethiopia is available here.