The global mean temperature is rising. As a result, extreme weather events such as storms and flooding, heat waves and drought, are likely to be more frequent and more severe. Low-lying areas will be submerged as the sea level rises. Deserts will expand. Natural habitats and farmland will change, and some species are likely to become extinct. Diseases could spread more rapidly. In Norway, the climate will become milder and wetter, but the Oslo region may experience drier summers.
Growing greenhouse gas emissions
Consumption is rising and the volume of transport is growing. We are therefore using more and more energy, particularly from sources such as oil and gas. This is true not only in rich countries, but also in developing countries, which want to share our prosperity. The result is rising greenhouse gas emissions. Unless we take effective steps to reverse this trend, there is likely to be a substantial rise in both global and Norwegian emissions in the years ahead.
Global cooperation is needed
To limit global warming sufficiently, it will be necessary to cut global emissions by 50–85 per cent by 2050. Production and consumption patterns must change. Norway's Kyoto target is for greenhouse gas emissions to be no more than 1 per cent higher in the period 2008- 2012 than in 1990. Norway will voluntarily strengthen its Kyoto commitment by 10 percentage points. As part of its efforts to meet its commitment Norway will fund emission reduction measures in other countries, mainly developing countries. We are also using taxes, agreements and a national emissions trading scheme to achieve our goals, and new technology is being developed.