Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Cruise emissions to outpace domestic flight emissions in Norway, Vy wants EVs booted out of bus lanes, and Norway to present defence spending plan. This and other news on Friday.
Norway to present defence spending plan
The Norwegian government will boost defence spending to meet the NATO “two percent” target, PM Jonas Gahr Støre announced last month.
NATO countries are set the target of spending the equivalent of two percent of GDP on defence.
On Friday, the Norwegian government will unveil its plan for increased defence spending.
“The reason why we want to strengthen the Norwegian Armed Forces is that we must be so strong that we ensure peace for the Norwegian people, and ensure that no one will play tricks with us,” Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum told Norwegian newswire NTB.
“The experience from the last couple of years is that Russia has attacked a neighbouring country. We must have such a strong defence that it will not happen to us,” he added.
Public transport firm wants EVs out of bus lanes
Public transport provider Vy has said that it wants to see an end to electric vehicles in public transportation lanes.
The firm has said this is especially important on the E18, where bus drivers have reported problems. Being able to drive in bus lanes and cheaper tolls are among the incentives for owning an electric car.
“For several years, our drivers have reported back that accessibility in the public transport sector has gradually deteriorated as the share of electric cars has increased,” Åge-Christoffer Lundeby, communications for Vy, said.
Greenhouse gas emissions from cruises to overtake domestic flights in Norway
There will be an estimated 5,000 cruise calls into Norwegian ports in 2024, and a sharp increase in cruise traffic means it is a larger source of greenhouse gas emissions than domestic flights.
“It is highly likely that CO2 emissions from cruise ships will thus exceed emissions from domestic aviation this year. I think few would have expected that to happen,” Svein Thompson of the sustainability analysis company Stakeholder told newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.
Truls Gulowsen, the head of the Norwegian Nature Conservation Association, said that the largest cruise ships needed to be banned.
“These are floating greenhouse gas factories, and Norway as a maritime nation should take the lead and say that this is unwanted tourism,” Gulowsen said.
Oslo commuters asked to leave their car at home
The Norwegian Road Traffic Centre has asked commuters around the capital to leave their cars at home today.
Their warning applies to those commuting into the city from the east, west and north.
The traffic alert comes after snow arrived on Thursday afternoon.
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Norway to present defence spending plan
The Norwegian government will boost defence spending to meet the NATO “two percent” target, PM Jonas Gahr Støre announced last month.
NATO countries are set the target of spending the equivalent of two percent of GDP on defence.
On Friday, the Norwegian government will unveil its plan for increased defence spending.
“The reason why we want to strengthen the Norwegian Armed Forces is that we must be so strong that we ensure peace for the Norwegian people, and ensure that no one will play tricks with us,” Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum told Norwegian newswire NTB.
“The experience from the last couple of years is that Russia has attacked a neighbouring country. We must have such a strong defence that it will not happen to us,” he added.
Public transport firm wants EVs out of bus lanes
Public transport provider Vy has said that it wants to see an end to electric vehicles in public transportation lanes.
The firm has said this is especially important on the E18, where bus drivers have reported problems. Being able to drive in bus lanes and cheaper tolls are among the incentives for owning an electric car.
“For several years, our drivers have reported back that accessibility in the public transport sector has gradually deteriorated as the share of electric cars has increased,” Åge-Christoffer Lundeby, communications for Vy, said.
Greenhouse gas emissions from cruises to overtake domestic flights in Norway
There will be an estimated 5,000 cruise calls into Norwegian ports in 2024, and a sharp increase in cruise traffic means it is a larger source of greenhouse gas emissions than domestic flights.
“It is highly likely that CO2 emissions from cruise ships will thus exceed emissions from domestic aviation this year. I think few would have expected that to happen,” Svein Thompson of the sustainability analysis company Stakeholder told newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.
Truls Gulowsen, the head of the Norwegian Nature Conservation Association, said that the largest cruise ships needed to be banned.
“These are floating greenhouse gas factories, and Norway as a maritime nation should take the lead and say that this is unwanted tourism,” Gulowsen said.
Oslo commuters asked to leave their car at home
The Norwegian Road Traffic Centre has asked commuters around the capital to leave their cars at home today.
Their warning applies to those commuting into the city from the east, west and north.
The traffic alert comes after snow arrived on Thursday afternoon.
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