Norway
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Norway joined the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) in 2011.
Norway has an extensive national climate framework that addresses methane across the waste, agriculture, transportation, and energy sectors. These measures include government support for research on the health impact of methane and other greenhouse gas emissions, government funding of international initiatives to reduce methane emissions, and specific policies to improve methane abatement and achieve Norway’s ambitious climate goals.
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Methane Emissions Summary
According to the Norwegian National Inventory Report (NIR), published in April 2022, methane emissions accounted for about 9.6% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, amounting to 188 ktonnes. The majority of these emissions originated from the agriculture sector (55%), the waste sector (18%), and the oil and gas sector (10%).
Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas, 2020
Trend in Methane Emissions by Source, 1990-2020
Source: Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2020: National Inventory Report, Norwegian Environment Agency, April 2022. https://unfccc.int/documents/461706
Percentage of Methane Emissions by Sub-category, 2020
Source: Source: Norway’s Eighth National Communication. Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment. https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/a69c7662e3ed4b1fa2f946f8e966343a/en-gb/pdfs/t-1582-e-norways-eighth-national-communication.pdf
Methane Commitments and Plans
Methane mitigation efforts in Norway are guided by national and international commitments and plans.
National
Norway has a national plan and long-term multi-sectoral strategies to achieve methane emissions reductions.
- Norway updated its Eighth National Communication on Climate Change in March 2023, which summarizes the status of methane emissions reduction activities in the waste, agriculture, transportation, and energy sectors.
- Norway submitted its National Methane Action Plan to the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) in November of 2022.
- The Norwegian National Inventory Report (NIR), published in April 2022, summarizes methane emission trends for the years 1990-2020 and identifies ministries and government agencies responsible for implementing methane emission reductions.
- Norway’s Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), published in February 2020, establishes the country’s goal to reduce greenhouse gases, including methane, by at least 50% by 2030 as compared to the base year emissions.
- In 2020, Norway published the Mitigation measure analysis 2030: Short-term climate effect and co-benefits, which analyzes the short and long term impact of climate change on health, and includes potential measures to reduce methane emissions.
- The Norwegian government published the National Action Plan for Alternative Fuels Infrastructure in the Transport Sector in 2019, which establishes targets to reduce methane emissions from former landfills, and livestock and manure activities.
International
Norway participates in numerous collaborative international efforts to implement climate action across the world.
- Norway joined the Global Methane Pledge in 2021, agreeing to take voluntary actions to contribute to a collective effort to reduce global methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
- Norway joined an international fund established by the World Bank and is contributing financial support to eliminate routine oil and gas flaring and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Norway contributed NOK 10 million (10.8 million USD) to the initiative.
- Norway has been a partner of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition since 2012, supporting activities to reduce methane and other short-lived climate pollutants.
- In 2015, Norway endorsed the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative which aims to end gas flaring by 2030 and reduce methane emissions globally.
Methane Actions
The following highlights a sampling of actions taken by Norway to address methane, organized by GMI sector.
Oil & Gas Sector
- In 2020 Norway became the first country to establish a ban on the use of oil and gas to heat buildings. The ban encouraged citizens to rely on green energy alternatives including heat pumps, hydroelectricity, and biogas.
Ministries and Agencies Supporting Methane Actions
Explore the following websites to learn more about the government ministries addressing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change in Finland.