Can we cope with the climate emergency without deteriorating our quality of life? Many cities are launching pioneering initiatives that demonstrate that environmentally friendly measures also transform urban spaces into more livable and friendly places.
This is the philosophy of the European Green Capital Award , an initiative that aims to reward cities with a long history of environmental achievements, provide models that inspire pioneering practices and that are an incentive to commit to sustainable development. The message is clear: citizens have the right to live in healthy urban areas and their managers must strive to improve their quality of life, as well as reduce their impact on the global environment.
One of the main reasons why Oslo is European Green Capital 2019 has to do with the fight against climate change: The city intends, by 2020, to have reduced emissions by 50% compared to 1990 values and be carbon neutral by 2050.
To achieve these ambitious goals, a series of integrated mobility measures have been introduced in Oslo, such as the promotion of zero-emission transport. The capital has become the “Electric Vehicle Capital of the World” and 30% of all cars sold in the city are electric , a consequence of the incentives to acquire this type of vehicle and the facilities for its use, for example, by installing battery recharging points whose electricity comes from solar energy.
Another of the pillars is the promotion of the use of bicycles and public transport, measures that seek not only to meet the emission reduction objectives, but also to avoid noise pollution and improve air quality . For this reason, regulations have also been introduced to limit traffic in certain areas, and in this way the human environment is improved, achieving more pedestrian-friendly spaces.
The climate budget
In 2016, the so-called ‘climate budget’ was introduced in Oslo, an initiative promoted to achieve the goal of reducing emissions to 50%. It consists of 42 measures related to energy, transport and resources, and carbon dioxide emissions are accounted for as if they were a financial budget , so that the councils must adjust to their limits.
Green Jobs
Another of the bets is the conversion towards the circular economy. For example, biogas is produced from organic waste and sewage in Oslo, which serves as fuel for city buses and garbage trucks. The generation of green jobs and the reconversion of the industry towards the circular use of raw materials are being promoted.
The contradictions of an oil country
However, Norway’s green drive clashes with the indisputable fact that the country’s main source of wealth is oil extraction , an issue that raises much criticism as it could be argued that the measures aimed at the ecological transition are financed thanks to the export of crude.
It remains to be seen how the Norwegian economy evolves in the coming years. At the moment, in April 2019 the Labor Party rejected oil drilling in the Lofoten archipelago, in the Arctic, and at the beginning of the year it was also announced that the Norwegian sovereign fund will withdraw 7.5 billion dollars invested in small oil companies.
Faced with the criticism triggered by this contradiction in a country that calls itself a leader in environmental policies, the Norwegian government defends itself by stating that it is one of the few countries that is meeting the goals set by the Paris Agreement for the reduction of polluting emissions.
