WSSD Plenary Session – energy, Norwegian position - 28 August 2002

Norway wants the Johannesburg summit to succeed.

 In the end, success will not be judged by the number of paragraphs, it will be measured by lasting results.

This is why Norway is pushing for strong commitments. We want countries to ratify and use the mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol, we want countries to apply the precautionary principle and we want countries to set and realize ambitious targets.

Lasting results for energy means energy services for the poor and cleaner and more efficient use of fossil fuels. It also means that the long-term global transition to renewable sources must accelerate.

Floods in China, in Europe, in India may just be another natural disaster, – or they may be a sign of climate change. What is clear is that IPCC tells us that in the future we will have more rough weather and sudden weather changes. Thus, it is vital to combat climate change.

Preventing climate change is like servicing the brakes of your car. You do not demand final proof that they are unsafe, you will grumble over the cost, but you will be very grateful that the solution works when you need it.

In Johannesburg we will not negotiate climate, but we can keep up the pressure to ratify. We will set ambitious global aims for increasing the share of renewable and new renewable energy and we will set ambitious goals for industrialized countries. But this is not enough. We want the benefits that energy will bring, not just a lack of ill effects. To make this happen we need far more than energy technology.

Countries must do their homework, but countries must also cooperate and assist each other. Norway will join others in building a coalition for new renewables and energy efficiency between governments, organizations and business. Efficient markets need economic and legal frameworks, education and training.

10 years after Johannesburg the majority of people should be able to live a better life. 10 years after Johannesburg women should be free to spend the hours they previously have spent collecting firewood for other purposes.

10 years from now we will perhaps meet again to measure progress and set new goals. Then we should be able to say that the Johannesburg Summit was a major turning point towards our ultimate goal to provide sustainable energy for all.