Positive trends - with important exceptions

There is a strong correlation between economic activity and many environmental problems. Pollution and disturbance of the natural environment are often side effects of production and/or consumption, and such effects result in growing pressure on the environment as the economy expands. For example, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions have a tendency to rise with economic growth. However, this relationship is not at all clear-cut. Investments in technology, improved resource and energy efficiency and policy instruments have resulted in decoupling of environmental pressures from economic activity in several areas.

Reduced greenhouse gas intensity in the mining and petroleum sector

In the period 1990-2002 value added in this sector rose by 98 per cent, which in itself would tend to cause a rise in emissions. The Norwegian authorities have focused on reducing emissions to air from this sector for many years. Even so, emissions of greenhouse gases and acidifying gases have continued to rise, but more slowly than value added. It is only recently that measures to reduce emissions have begun to give results. The considerable drop in total emissions of ozone precursors in recent years continued in 2002.

Greenhouse gas intensity (measured as emissions per NOK of value added) gives an idea of the eco-efficiency of production. There was a general improvement in the efficiency of this sector in the period 1990-2002. This was followed by a brief downturn before a new period of improvement from 2001 to 2002 (greenhouse gas intensity dropped by about 4 per cent).

Lower emissions from manufacturing industries

Value added in manufacturing peaked in 1998, and is now showing a weak downward trend. This in itself may have reduced some environmental problems associated with emissions of pollutants. In 2002, manufacturing generated 7 per cent of Norway’s emissions of acidifying substances, 23 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions and 6 per cent of emissions of ozone precursors, and accounted for 11.3 per cent of Norway’s total value added. Preliminary 2002 figures for manufacturing show that all types of emissions have dropped. This was because there still was a decline in activity in certain types of manufacturing, and production was therefore lower. The drop in greenhouse gas emissions in recent years is attributable to the closure of one of Norway’s three oil refineries and the closure of plants in the ferro-alloy industry and in primary production of magnesium.

The greenhouse gas intensity index dropped from 100 to 73 in the period 1990-2002, indicating that there at least is a weak decoupling of value added from greenhouse gas emissions in manufacturing as a whole (decoupling is a term that is used to describe a situation where economic growth is clearly greater than the growth in emissions or environmental pressure). In 2001, manufacturing industries invested a total of NOK 586 million in end-of-pipe equipment to treat, prevent, control and measure pollution.

Household waste increases more than consumption

In 2002, households accounted for 4 per cent of Norway’s emissions of acidifying substances, 12 per cent of emissions of ozone precursors and 9 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. Household consumption was NOK 567 billion in 2002, and has risen by 48 per cent during the period 1990-2002. Generation of household waste has also risen throughout the period, and at a faster pace than consumption (80 per cent rise). Emissions to air from transport are an important source of direct emissions from households. There has been a marked increase in the number of private cars as well as the total distance driven since 1990. Improvements in technology contribute to reduce emissions from cars, but this is offset by the rise in the distance driven.

Greenhouse gas intensity (measured as emissions of greenhouse gases per unit consumption) for households is falling. This is mainly because household consumption includes imported products, so that consumption by Norwegian households results in emissions in the countries where these goods are produced.

Environmental pressures not under control

It is positive that a strongly growing Norwegian economy does not involve a corresponding increase in pollution. However, it is also important to take the total pressures caused by human activities on the ambient environment into account. A further increase in production and consumption puts strong demands on efforts to reduce the environmental pressures to acceptable levels.

Greenhouse gas emissions increasing

Greenhouse gas emissions in Norway rose by 2 per cent from 2002 to 2003. The overall rise since 1990, the base year for the Kyoto Protocol, has been 8.3 per cent. According to the Protocol, Norwegian greenhouse gas emissions may be a maximum of 1 per cent higher than the 1990 level in the period 2008-2012 after emissions trading and other mechanisms for reducing emissions have been taken into account. The rise in 2003 was almost entirely due to a 4 per cent rise in CO ₂ emissions. This in turn is explained by higher emissions from the oil and gas industry on the continental shelf and onshore. High electricity prices in 2003 resulted in a sharp rise in fuel oil consumption, which in turn resulted in substantial CO ₂ emissions. Emissions from the use of autodiesel in cars and marine gas oil by domestic shipping are also rising.

Less acidification, but Norwegian emissions still high

Acid rain is still one of the most serious environmental problems in Norway. The areas of Norway where critical loads for acidification of surface water are exceeded have been gradually reduced. Inputs of acidifying substances to Norway were highest around 1980, when critical loads were exceeded across roughly 30 per cent of the total area of Norway.

As emissions in other parts of Europe have been reduced, so has acid deposition in the Norwegian environment. In 2000, the area where critical loads were exceeded had dropped to 13 per cent of Norway’s total area. If all countries meet their commitments under the Gothenburg Protocol, this will drop to about 7 per cent. This means that there will still be fish mortality and damage to fish stocks unless preventive measures such as liming are kept up. Norway's own emissions of acidifying substances increased by 3 per cent from 2002 to 2003 and have not been significantly reduced in recent years. Although the Norwegian emissions are relatively modest, they are still well above the authorities' target of reduction.

Reduced emissions to air of a number of hazardous substances

Emissions of POPs and heavy metals to air were substantially lower in 2002 than in 1990. The main reasons for this are the installation of equipment to control emissions and operational improvements, and the closure of plants in the chemical and metallurgical industry. Emissions from waste incineration have also been greatly reduced as a result of stricter emissions standards and the installation of equipment to control emissions.

The largest sources of PAH emissions are fuelwood use in households and process emissions from aluminium production. Despite lower production, PAH emissions from aluminium production rose by 14 per cent from 2001 to 2002. This was mainly because of an accidental release of PAHs in connection with upgrading to a cleaner process at one plant.

More waste - more recovery

The quantity of waste generated in Norway rose by about 18 per cent from 1996 to 2003 to a total of 8.8 million tonnes. The quantity of waste delivered for material recovery and energy recovery has risen by 38 per cent in the same period. In 2003, 71 per cent of all waste was dealt with by material or energy recovery. Norway’s goal is to reach an overall recovery rate of 75 per cent by 2010. It should be noted that these figures exclude 2.6 million tonnes of waste for which there is no information on the form of treatment or disposal. If this is included, the recovery rate drops to 48 per cent.

Methane emissions, which are considered to be one of the most serious environmental problems associated with waste management, have changed little since 1989.

One kg of waste a day from households

In 2003, per capita generation of household waste was 365 kg, 130 kg more than in 1992 and 11 kg more than in 2002. The total amount of household waste was 1.7 million tonnes, and 764 000 tonnes of this, or 46 per cent of the total, was separated for recovery. After a rise in the quantity of waste landfilled the previous year, there was a small drop (27 000 tonnes) in 2003, and the quantity landfilled was 357 000 tonnes.

In 2003, each person in Norway separated 167 kg of household waste for recovery, 6 kg more than in 2002. The proportion of household waste delivered for final disposal (incineration without energy recovery and landfilling) in 2003 was 30 per cent.

Increased discharges from oil production

Discharges of oil and chemicals from shipping, petroleum activities and onshore activities can damage organisms and ecosystems in the open sea, on the sea floor, in the littoral zone and on land. Pollution of coastal areas also reduces their value as recreation areas and for other purposes. The authorities have adequate data on discharges of oil from petroleum activities, but the figures for discharges from onshore sources and shipping are incomplete, particularly as regards illegal discharges.

Oil production results in both uncontrolled (acute) discharges and legal, licensed (operational) discharges. Operational discharges are the largest category. They have risen considerably since 1992, but have been somewhat reduced in the last two years. Acute discharges from oil production and other activities have varied considerably in the period 1984-2003. These discharges rose substantially in 2003, largely as a result of discharges from the Draugen field.

Natural resources under pressure

Many natural resources are important raw materials for industrial production. These resources, and the way they are used, are also of crucial importance for nature and biological diversity. It is therefore essential that natural resources are managed in a sustainable way and that they are not over-exploited. The extraction of oil and gas plays a central role in the Norwegian economy. The same can be said for the (conditionally) renewable resources hydropower and fish.

Record high extraction of energy commodities

There was a slight increase in total extraction of energy commodities in Norway from 2002 to 2003. Gas production peaked in these two years, and rose by 11 per cent from 2002, while crude oil production dropped by 2 per cent. Oil and gas extraction accounted for 95 per cent of the total in 2003. In 2003, the extraction of solid fuels was more than 20 per cent higher than the year before as a result of high coal production in Svalbard.

The level of hydropower production in 2003 was the lowest since 1996 and 18 per cent lower than in 2002. However, the production level in 2002 was the second highest ever recorded. Two new wind farms were opened in Møre og Romsdal and Finnmark, resulting in a substantial increase in wind power production from 75 GWh in 2002 to 222 GWh in 2003.

In 2003, the extraction of primary energy commodities was nine times higher than domestic consumption.

Low North Sea cod stock - several other stocks increasing

The North Sea herring stock is well within safe biological limits. The North Sea cod stock appears to have been greatly depleted, and the spawning stock is well below safe biological limits. The spawning stock of Norwegian spring-spawning herring is within safe biological limits. Sound management seems to have given good results. The spawning stock of North-East Arctic cod has risen considerably in the past year, and is now definitely above the precautionary level. The capelin stock in the Barents Sea has collapsed again, but this is not considered to have been caused primarily by fishing.

Read the publication : Natural Resources and the Environment 2004