Letter to Ursula von der Leyen about climate leadership

The world needs leadership on climate change. The EU has proven to be a climate leader and can show the world the benefits of climate action through job and value creation, better and more efficient cities and healthier neighbourhoods for citizens.

The European Union, Iceland and Norway are now very close to extend our cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emission by at least 40 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. I am very pleased to see that we are about to take important steps to enhance our long and lasting cooperation on climate change.

Norway is ready to step up our action together with the EU, and wishes to cooperate with the EU to enhance our ambitions together. To provide continued European leadership, I would therefore strongly encourage the EU to increase its 2030 climate target from at least 40 per cent to 55 per cent below 1990 levels. Norway would be ready to submit an equivalent increased ambition, to be implemented in cooperation with the EU.

Norway is committed to enhance our ambition and action.

Norway's legally binding target under the Effort Sharing Regulation is to reduce emissions by 40 per cent from 2005 to 2030. As a national policy, I am pleased to express our intention to voluntarily reduce Norway's non-ETS emissions by 45 per cent from 2005 to 2030, i.e. beyond our current commitment under the Effort Sharing Regulation. This will represent additional efforts to reduce emissions and to promote transition under the Effort Sharing Regulation.

We look forward to continuing our close cooperation in the climate field in the years to come.

Yours Sincerely

Erna Solberg

 

Ms Ursula von der Leyen
President-elect
European Commission

• Signed letter in pdf-format.pdf