EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Energi- Forsynings- og Klimaudvalget 2017-18
EFK Alm.del Bilag 108
Offentligt

Clever

climate

legislation

A hands-on guide for

parliamentarians to achieve

the Paris Agreement

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Clever climate legislation

A hands-on guide for parliamentarians to achieve the Paris Agreement

Steen Gade

ANP 2017:765

ISBN 978-92-893-5235-2 (PRINT)

ISBN 978-92-893-5236-9 (PDF)

ISBN 978-92-893-5237-6 (EPUB)

dx.doi.org/10.6027/ANP2017-765

Layout: Essensen

Cover Photo: Unsplash

Print: Hillerød Grafisk

Printed in Denmark

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EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Clever

climate

legislation

A hands-on guide for

parliamentarians to achieve

the Paris Agreement

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Contents

Foreword by Britt Lundberg, President of the

Nordic Council

National parliamentarians were given the task

and responsibility in Paris 2015

The political toolbox needs to be expanded

The burning platform

What has been decided in the Paris Agreement,

in the EU and in the Nordic region?

Forthcoming crucial international events, and

how climate parliamentarians can work

Challenges facing the Nordic countries

Climate legislation

The key working tools

How do you become a climate clever parliamentarian?

Views from Nordic parliamentarians

The long term

Abbreviations

References

About the author

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Foreword

By Britt Lundberg,

President of the Nordic Council

Future living conditions on our planet

will be greatly influenced by how well

people manage to solve the complex

challenge of climate change. Therefore,

parliamentarians around the world

find themselves faced with a major

task of developing wise and effective

climate legislation, which can maintain

the world on course with the goals set

by the Paris Agreement of 2015. Using

legislation, the parliaments must hold

the government firm on an overall

climate goal. They must approve the

laws that are a prerequisite for the

FOTO: MAGNUS FRÖDERBERG/NORDEN.ORG

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

reduction plans being implemented.

The legislative assemblies must also

create an understanding among their

respective voters for the measures

deemed necessary to contribute to the

solution to the challenge of climate

change.

There will be a need for the parliaments

to focus on climate work for decades to

come. The existing laws must be revised

and new laws developed. Focusing on

the 1.5-degree target and the stock-

taking in 2018 set out in the Paris

Agreement also means, that many and

comprehensive decisions must be taken

in a relatively short time if the impact

of climate change is to be reduced to

manageable size. It will be the national

parliaments that must take many of the

coming difficult but necessary decisions

that will change the way we live and

how we manage our economies.

The "clever" legislation must be able

to ensure both continuity and long-

term stability in climate policy. It

must give the parliamentarians better

conditions to ensure that government

is doing what they have promised. It

must provide a stable framework for

investors and the business sector to

provide the solutions. Unfortunately,

there is no blueprint and definitive

answer to the question of what

constitutes good climate legislation.

Fortunately, however, there are now

many experiences upon which we can

draw in order to reduce the risk that

ambitions for good climate laws are

not fulfilled. In the Nordic Council,

we have therefore agreed that a

handbook that puts the parliamentary

work into perspective and draws on

the experiences that we have could

be helpful for future work on climate

change in the parliamentary assemblies.

To carry out this task, we contacted

Steen Gade, who has long experience

working on the challenges of climate

change as a member of the Danish

Parliament, as director of the Danish

Environmental Protection Agency and

as a member of the Nordic Council.

In this handbook for parliamentarians,

Steen Gade has gathered the

experiences of climate legislation

and parliamentary climate work that

has been carried out in the Nordic

countries so far. He also describes the

international processes that led the

international community to come to

an agreement in Paris in December

2015 and how this agreement creates

the framework for future regular

reporting on the results and submission

of new and enhanced national efforts.

I hope that both current and future

generations of parliamentarians in the

Nordic countries, as well as in other

countries, will be inspired and benefit

from this handbook in the effort to limit

the effects of global climate change.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

FOTO: PEXELS

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

National parliamentarians were

given the task and responsibility

in Paris 2015

When the Foreign Minister of France,

on December 12th, 2015 at the COP21

(Conference of the Parties) was able

to declare the Paris Agreement as

adopted, the assembled delegates

broke into standing and prolonged

ovation. And precisely at that moment,

a major responsibility was thrown

directly into the laps of the national

parliamentarians. Not that national

parliamentarians had been free of

responsibility before this. However,

responsibility now became both

completely formalised and heavier than

before. Yes, perhaps even overwhelming

to think about.

Finally, the whole world had reached

a climate change agreement. One

hundred ninety-five countries had

adopted the world's first universal,

legally binding global climate

agreement. Twenty-three years

after the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC) had been adopted at the

World Summit meeting on Sustainable

Development in 1992, in Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil.

In Paris, everyone was in. And many

even said 'Yes, thank you,' and added

a concerned, 'Finally!' For until this

moment, the world had experienced

years of negotiations without an overall

result. Fortunately, there were skilled

officials who held the negotiating

channel open, even when things looked

darkest. There were major defeats

along the way, and a couple of partial

victories. But now, finally, after 23 years

of work, there was success. The world

had reached a global agreement, and it

came to be called the Paris Agreement.

Up to the COP15 in Copenhagen in

2009, the process had been governed by

the desire to have global, legally binding

greenhouse gas reduction targets for

countries and for groups of countries.

This is how the Kyoto Agreement of

1997 was constructed. However, Kyoto

contained only emissions reduction

targets for the developed countries.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

The Paris Agreement is instead based

on the countries' voluntary reduction

targets and climate plans. These are

the National Determined Contributions

(NDCs). In addition, the countries are

encouraged to develop and present

long-term low greenhouse gas emission

development strategies. The other main

element of the agreement is that it is

now about all of us. All countries, both

developed and developing countries,

must commit themselves to climate

action. All countries must contribute,

but in different ways, of course. The

contribution depends on the countries'

differing capacities.

So now, the great global trench

warfare between North and South

ought to have ended.

By October 5th,

2016, a sufficient number of countries

had ratified the agreement so that it

could enter into force a month later.

At present, 168 countries out of 197

have ratified the Paris Agreement.

Because the agreement is now

based upon what the countries

themselves report, all the national

parliamentarians have been given a

new major responsibility, and thereby

an area of work that – in the same

way as transport planning, education,

etc. – should become a part of the

parliamentary routine. And climate

should be especially important as an

indispensable and integrated part of

economic policy. Thereby, it is a part

of both the long-term plans and the

annual budgets.

What climate pledges should my

country submit? How does my country

follow up on already announced

commitments? How can we strengthen

our own efforts and increase our

ambitions? And how do I myself and the

countries work more closely together to

achieve the goals? This is now an area of

work for all parliamentarians, not only

those who sit on climate or environment

committees. No, now everyone is

included. All parliamentarians need to

become climate parliamentarians.

On one point, climate policy

perhaps differs from other policies.

The greenhouse effect is global, and it

requires much closer cooperation across

borders. Also for parliamentarians.

The agreement was signed a few

months after the UN General Assembly

adopted the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs). These two major global

agreements are linked, and their

implementation should be considered

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

in context. The SDG targets must be

completed by 2030, while the climate

targets will be operating until 2025

or 2030, all depending on what each

individual country has reported. After

this, new climate targets must be

set in five-year modules. By 2020, all

countries must either confirm or revise

their current targets and climate plans,

and the level of ambition must not be

lowered.

With the United States' very worrying

message that it intends to withdraw

from the agreement,

the above is

perhaps described in simplified form.

The United States is the country

with the world's second highest

CO2 emissions and still plays a very

significant role in global technology

development. However, the impact of

lacking American political support for

the Paris Agreement has so far been

very limited. The United States' decision

has not led other countries to follow

suit.

Responsibility for implementation of

the Paris Agreement lies largely with

the European countries,

but others are

also making great efforts. Perhaps we

will find that the new major countries

in Asia – China and India – will now

become more active in implementing

the agreement. In any case, it seems

that among many companies in a

number of areas – such as solar cell

production, wind turbine production,

advanced control systems and electric

cars – there has emerged a very strong

global commercial competition to

develop and produce best and cheapest.

And here the American companies

are fully involved in the competition,

together with their European

counterparts. And hard pressed by the

emerging economies, who are exerting

serious efforts to take the lead.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

The political toolbox

needs to be expanded

All this means that the working

methods which parliamentarians are

accustomed to using to exert their

influence on developments, to pressure

their government and to influence

the public debate generally, now also

apply to the entire climate area. The

Nordic countries, in their respective

parliaments, have fairly similar tools.

It is possible to present proposals, to

influence the budget, and to hold a

minister accountable on agreements

and promises. These are the working

methods that must be used just as

aggressively when it comes to climate

as in other areas. However, since the

climate area intervenes in most policy

areas, requires major conversion

processes and is also of a global nature,

the toolbox needs to be expanded.

International cooperation will thus

become more important in the

coming years.

The Nordic Council and

the Nordic Council of Ministers will

become more important for all the

Nordic countries, and this applies even

more so for cooperation with the EU.

All five Nordic countries have politically

acceded to the EU's climate targets by

2030. The Nordic countries therefore

have common goals when they meet

each other in international negotiations.

These meetings will be primarily in the

many negotiations in the UNFCCC,

with annual climate summits and new,

more ambitious national contributions

every five years. In the maritime area,

CO2 emissions are discussed in the

International Maritime Organization

(IMO), and in the case of aviation, the

negotiations take place within the

framework of the International Civil

Aviation Organization (ICAO). Hence,

there exists a large field of work outside

the global climate negotiations in the

UNFCCC.

In addition, the major transformation

requires political decisions that

promote technological change.

Today's

technological possibilities are quite

considerable, but existing policies often

operate in the opposite direction. This

issue must be addressed, while the

conversion must be promoted through

wise policy decisions. Everything

from research, support for product

development, promotion of new green

technology and public procurement are

tools in the expanded toolbox.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

FOTO: UNSPLASH

FOTO:IUNSPLASH

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

The burning platform

What does the burning platform look

like? This question was asked in 1988,

when the UN began to assemble all

existing scientific knowledge in order to

assess all aspects of climate change.

It was a year after publication of the

famous report on the future of the

world (Our Common Future, known as

the Brundtland Report, named after

Norway's former prime minister). The

Brundtland Report laid the foundation

for comprehensive global and citizen

study groups that the world had never

seen before. The report introduced

a new development regime with the

term "sustainable development", and

thereby warned against the ongoing

unsustainable development.

Several thousand researchers have

since been involved in a massive effort

to assemble knowledge that has been

published regularly, especially in the

periods prior to important global

decisions. The first major report of

the UN Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change appeared in 1990 and

laid the foundation for the adoption

of the 1992 Climate Convention. The

next report, in 1995, appeared up to the

adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

And in 2007, The Fourth Assessment

Report became an important part of

the basis for the attempt to obtain a

global agreement at the 2009 COP15

summit in Copenhagen. As we know,

this effort did not produce the desired

results. The most recent report, The

Fifth Assessment Report appeared in

2013–14, as a prelude to the 2015 Paris

summit. At present, we are waiting for

the sixth report, which is being prepared

and will be published in 2021–22, prior

to the submission of the next set of

national climate targets and plans in

2025.

The issue of whether climate change

is man-made has been addressed, and

one can still follow the increasingly more

certain wording in the various reports

of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

on Climate Change. However, there

remains a major disparity between the

long public discussion on the subject

and the statements by researchers.

Up to 1990, the message was that

the greenhouse effect was due, to a

significant degree, to human activity.

Over the years, the degree of certainty

has become larger and larger. The 5th

report's summary for policymakers

states that "it is extremely likely that

human influence has been the dominant

cause of the observed warming since

the mid-20th century".

The 2014 report is based on data

collected up to 2012.

It is thick and

scientific, but there exists a summary

for policymakers. Among other things,

the summary states that the area of

sea ice in the Arctic region from 1979

to 2012 has declined by between 3.5

and 4.1 per cent per decade. Moreover,

the water level in the oceans will rise

by between 26 and 98 centimetres by

the year 2100, if one examines all the

different scenarios. The concentration

of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere is now higher than at

any other time in the previous 800,000

years. Global CO2 emissions must be

reduced by 40–70 per cent between

2010 and 2050 and should be zero

around year 2100 if we are to limit the

temperature increase to two degrees in

this century. Above 90 per cent of the

accumulated energy in recent decades

has been absorbed by the oceans, which

have also become warmer down to

700 meters in depth. And, finally, we

read that the earth's temperature will

most likely rise 0.3 to 0.7 degrees in the

period 2016–2035.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Is the challenge even greater?

Professor Sebastian Mernild

takes the floor:

By Sebastian H. Mernild, Professor of Climate

Change and Glaciology (Ph.D. and Dr. Scient.)

and Managing Director of the Nansen Center

in Bergen.

has a long lifespan in the atmosphere,

so the content will not decline quickly

by itself, even with a stagnant, lessened

or possibly complete cessation of

emissions in the near future.

We know that the average temperature

of the globe up to the record-breaking

warmth in 2016 has risen by 1.2 degrees

Celsius

since the time before the

Industrial Revolution, which marked

the beginning of systematic CO2

emissions into the atmosphere. And

because of the heat absorption in the

oceans, there is a considerable delay

in global warming compared to the

rapidly growing amounts of greenhouse

gases in the atmosphere. The mean

temperature is at least half a degree

lower than would be indicated by the

current level of greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere.

Human-caused climate changes,

therefore, do not belong only in the

distant future. They are occurring here

and now, and the physical changes are

becoming on average more dramatic for

each year that passes. The changes are

occurring more rapidly today than they

did just ten years ago. The effects of a

warmer climate are clearly visible.

As the emissions and conditions are at

present, we are far off the optimistic

scenario. Rather, we are experiencing

something that is best compared to a

worst-case scenario, where there are

indications of a further increase of

3.2–5.4 degrees in 2100 compared to

the present situation.

Today's level of greenhouse

gases is significantly above the

maximum values found in the ice cores

over the last 800,000 years, about

40 per cent higher. From the same ice

cores, we can deduce that at no time

has the CO2 content in the atmosphere

changed as fast as is the case now. The

amount of CO2 in the atmosphere over

the past decades has increased by an

average of 2 ppm (parts per million, the

unit for the number of CO2 molecules in

the air), equivalent to 0.5 per cent per

year, whereas the increase during the

1960s and 1970s was on average 1 ppm.

This means that the atmospheric

content of CO2 is rising at the same

time that global emissions of CO2

into the atmosphere now seem to be

stagnant, following decades of strong

growth in emissions.

As illustration, this

situation can be equated with the water

level in a bathtub rising because the

faucet has been opened, but at least the

faucet is not opened any further.

The increased CO2 content in the

atmosphere is the main cause of

the climate change that we are

now experiencing and which will be

reinforced for many decades, even for

centuries, to come. We know that CO2

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Sebastian H. Mernild

Examples:

• Since 1979, the Arctic summer sea

ice sheet has shrunk in area by an

average of 92,000 km

a year, or twice

the entire land area of Denmark. It

is expected that the summer sea ice

sheet will be gone in 15–20 years,

around the time when we pass the

1.5 degrees global warming threshold.

The sea ice sheet area in December

2016 and January 2017 was the

lowest amount measured for the

season in both the Arctic and around

Antarctica. The temperature over the

North Pole during autumn-winter

months of 2016–2017 has been 20

degrees above normal for the season.

• The mass loss from Greenland's inland

ice sheet and from the enormous

Antarctic ice cover has accelerated

since the 1980s, so that annually, there

now flows 350 cubic kilometres of

ice and meltwater into the sea from

Greenland alone, and slightly less from

Antarctica. It is expected that in the

coming decades, the inland ice surface

will reach a "tipping point" such that

the amount of snow and ice that

melts away from the inland ice surface

during the summer will be greater

than the snow fall in winter. This is

already happening before we hit the

two-degree global warming threshold,

where the contribution to the annual

outflow of ice and meltwater will

correspondingly, nearly double.

FOTO: SEBASTIAN MERNILD

The task is to press

the emissions level

sharply downward, ideally

to zero, over the next two

decades. Otherwise, the

two-degree UN target

will not be realistically

achievable. Climate and

energy policy must therefore

be ambitious and sufficient

and must clearly contribute

to reducing the growth of

in the atmosphere. Only

then can we demonstrate a

breakthrough in the ongoing

green transformation.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

What has been decided in the

Paris Agreement, in the EU

and in the Nordic region?

The Paris Agreement is a comprehensive

treaty system in which the crucial

balance between developed and

developing countries, the so called

North and South, which was already a

key element in the Brundtland Report,

has been maintained. The core is the

concept of sustainable development.

Sustainable development means that

there should be room for both economic

and social sustainable development

and at the same time, a reduction of

climate and environmental impacts. The

agreement also ensures that the South

will have the space – and help – to

develop a viable standard of living, while

the North reduces its climate impact

and develops technologies and methods

that can be transferred to the South. In

addition, the commitments have been

made for increased economic transfers

from north to south.

In the course of this process, agreement

has been reached on a series of

elements, such as the crucial political

benchmarks that can ensure that the

temperature increase in this century

will remain below two degrees. This

threshold was agreed upon at COP13

in 2007. The target was set based on

assessments that if the temperature

increase becomes higher, climate change

will be completely unmanageable for the

international community – it is difficult

enough already – and the temperature

could increase exponentially.

With the Paris Agreement, the ambition

increased significantly.

The goal is now

to keep the temperature increase well

below two degrees compared to the

pre-industrial level, and to even strive

to keep it down to 1.5 degrees. This is

an immensely difficult task, when the

numbers show that the record warm

year of 2016 showed a temperature

increase of 1.2 degrees.

The Paris Agreement will take effect from

2020 and will then be strengthened every

five years with increasingly ambitious

objectives. By 2023, the countries must

assess their progress and any potential

shortcomings, before the new climate

plans are submitted in 2025.

Each country must submit its own

nationally determined targets and

climate change measures to the UN

Framework Convention on Climate

Change, and in October 2017, 162

countries have submitted plans. In

addition, funds must be raised from

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

the developed countries for climate

change initiatives for the world's

poorest countries. The important

agreement from the 2009 Copenhagen

climate summit, that the developed

countries should transfer USD 100

billion to developing countries each year

beginning in 2020, is thus a part of the

agreement. It has also been agreed

that further efforts should be made

to identify how the world's countries

can jointly cope with the losses and

damages that climate change has

already caused – and will cause in

the future – in the least developed

countries.

The Paris Agreement is a major and

important agreement, but it also

contains obvious shortcomings. This is

primarily because the climate plans that

the countries have submitted will lead

to a temperature rise of about three

degrees if they are not strengthened

significantly. This is also because the

agreement first takes effect in 2020,

such that there is an excessively long

wait until the revised and intensified

2025 plans can take effect. The

possibility to hold the temperature

increase down to 1.5 degrees may

simply disappear by 2025. Therefore,

the agreement has also included a

number of "political hooks", which

create new opportunities to accelerate

action. First and foremost, this involves

an opportunity to review the situation

in 2018 at COP24. Next, there is an

opportunity to submit more ambitious

climate plans in 2020.

In EU cooperation, climate has played a

major role for a long time,

and over the

years, the EU has played a significant

and leading role in obtaining results in

the international climate negotiations

within the UN framework. The EU has

had a common climate policy for many

years, with several overall goals and

themes decided upon. By 2050, for

example, greenhouse gas emissions

must be reduced by between 80 per

cent and 95 per cent of 1990 levels.

The EU supports the construction of

electrical grids between countries in

order to, among other things, facilitate

the inclusion of growing supply of

renewable energy. There are targets for

expansion of renewable energy and a

common energy-saving policy. Also, an

energy union is in the works. Therefore,

all 28 EU countries submit their

emission reduction targets together.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

The EU countries have thus committed

themselves to implementing a 40

per cent reduction of total emissions

by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

In addition, there are targets for

expansion of renewable energy of 27 per

cent by 2030 and an indicative target

of a 27 per cent improvement in energy

efficiency.

In the EU, two systems are operating.

One is the quota sector, the EU

emissions trading system (EU ETS),

where purchases and sales of CO2

emissions allowances shall regulate

emissions. This sector includes large

industries, power plants, etc. The other

system covers other sectors of the

economy, the so-called non-ETS sectors,

where regulation is carried out in a

different way. These sectors include e.g.

cars, agriculture and dwellings.

The overall targets in the non-ETS

sectors are distributed among member

countries after a negotiation process.

The EEA countries, Norway and Iceland,

have politically acceded to the EU's

objectives, just as they are both part of

the EU ETS system. In this way, all the

Nordic countries now share a number of

crucial decisions, despite their differing

ties to the EU.

In Nordic cooperation, climate

has also become quite high on the

agenda.

In 2017, the Nordic Prime

Ministers took the initiative toward a

more integrated climate and energy

effort. Jorma Ollila has prepared a

comprehensive report for the Nordic

Council of Ministers, containing a

number of recommendations for

the Nordic governments regarding

greatly-expanded energy cooperation.

In addition, climate plays a significant

role in the ongoing co-operation

among the Nordic climate ministers, in

Nordic research institutions and in the

priorities of the Nordic Development

Fund. The Nordic countries now also

have a common pavilion at the climate

summits. In recent years, Nordic

parliamentarians have worked more

closely together at the climate summits,

just as the Nordic Council's Committee

for a Sustainable Nordic Region has

established contacts with members of

the national climate and environment

committees on special topics.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Forthcoming crucial international

events, and how climate

parliamentarians can work

Globally

• The annual UN climate summit

meetings will normally take place

between mid-November to mid-

December.

There is a tradition of attendance by

parliamentarians from all the Nordic

countries and autonomous regions, so

it will often be a good idea to organise

parliamentary initiatives before the

meetings and before the government's

negotiating mandate has been

established. The meetings are also a

good networking site.

• The IPCC Special Report on the

1.5 degree target will appear in

September 2018. It will form the basis

for the discussion up to COP24 later

in 2018.

The report will therefore be important

and a good starting point for initiatives

up to the meeting.

• COP24 will be especially important

because it was agreed upon in Paris

that the 2018 meeting should be the

first stock-taking conference. That is,

the world's countries will be assessing

the impact of their collective effort

and allow room for information on

further action.

This means that it is possible to take

a new course of action during 2018.

It is expected that researchers and

NGOs will place very high priority on

2018. This is primarily because it was

acknowledged already in 2015 that the

actions are very late getting started,

and that the countries' current climate

targets do not correspond to the

climate necessity. Particularly not if

the goal is to keep the temperature

increases down to 1.5 degrees.

• In September 2019, the IPCC will

issue a special report on the oceans

because there is a steadily increasing

concern about the consequences

of the acidification of our large

ocean areas and also what the

consequences will be when the oceans

can no longer absorb more CO2.

The report will be an important

prelude to the main report in 2022,

and it may become a game changer

in understanding the need for a

significantly greater effort already in

the coming decade.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

• By 2020, all countries must either

confirm or revise current targets

and climate plans, and the level of

ambition must not be lowered.

This means that up to the 2020

climate summit, work should be

carried out on further developing and

enhancing targets and climate plans.

• In 2021, three IPCC working groups

will issue reports on, respectively,

the scientific basis for the climate

problem, the impact of climate

change and on climate adaptation

and vulnerability and mitigation. All

three reports form parts of the sixth

main report.

They will be well-suited to ensuring

attention to the urgency of the

situation and the risk of an inadequate

effort.

• The synthesis of the IPCC's sixth

report will be published in 2022 and

will form the basis for the decisions to

be taken in 2025.

The sixth report should therefore

be accorded very great attention,

as the basis for enrolling in the new,

intensified climate plans in 2025. The

report will become crucial because at

that time, it is perhaps the absolutely

last call for reinforcing climate action

to a degree that will make it possible

to achieve the 1.5 degree target.

In EU and Nordic cooperation

• In EU cooperation, more priority has

been given to energy cooperation

with the establishment of an Energy

Union on the way, and negotiation is

taking place regarding the content

of the fourth period (from 2021

to 2030) of the emissions trading

system, in which all the Nordic

countries participate. This will be an

important negotiation because the

efficiency of the emissions trading

system today has been significantly

weakened by the allocation of too

many quotas. In the Nordic context,

discussions are taking place regarding

the coordination of efforts, joint

research and closer climate- and

energy political cooperation. And

perhaps most importantly: The Nordic

countries obtain inspiration from each

other. Often in a mutual competitive

struggle.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

What is new is that EU decisions

and decisions taken in cooperation

between the EU and the EEA countries

will become much more important

for all the Nordic countries in the

years to come and should therefore

be closely monitored in all the Nordic

parliaments. Furthermore, it is good

to know that it is quite convincing

to be able to refer to results in other

European countries. Coming from

the Nordic countries, it even has an

additional impact. Therefore, it can

be a good investment to follow the

legislative process and the political

debate in the other countries. This can

be done in many ways. Good contacts

that inform about initiatives, but do

not over-inform, are among the most

effective.

transport sector, the issue has been

discussed within the ICAO. Domestic

air traffic is subject to the EU quota

system, and some countries also

have passenger charges. Globally, it

has been decided that there should

be a market-based regulation of

international aviation beginning in

2021. In the shipping area, a roadmap

will be adopted in 2018 which seeks

the adoption of a global system

for monitoring, fuel consumption

and more. The EU has also adopted

a regulation on the monitoring of

CO2 emissions from ships in the EU

and ships to and from the EU. This

regulation will take effect in January

2018.

Shipping and aviation are often

forgotten when discussing climate.

One of the reasons is that these

areas are typically regulated by

other ministries than the ministries

for climate and environment.

However, they are very important

for global CO2 emissions. It will

therefore be appropriate to request

ongoing updates of the negotiation

processes and ensure debate on the

government's negotiating position and

initiatives.

With shipping and aviation

• The Paris Agreement does not

regulate greenhouse gas emissions

from international shipping or

aviation, despite the valiant efforts

on the part of the Nordic countries.

Within the IMO, discussions have

taken place on the impact of shipping

on CO2 emissions, and within the air

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

FOTO: ISTOCK

FOTO: SCANPIX

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Challenges facing

the Nordic countries

Emissions and reductions

In the Nordic countries, one often

encounters the view that the Nordic

region occupies a top position with

regards to climate and that the

countries have practically already

met the challenge of climate change.

Therefore, it is important to have

knowledge of the statistics for

emissions. The graph below highlights

the key data, namely, the size of CO2

emissions per each Nordic citizen and

the size of the emissions reductions

achieved in the Nordic countries since

1990.

Greenhouse emission per capita in the Nordic countries and

EU as a whole 1990, 2000 and 2015

equivalent in tons

1990

2000

2015

EU28

Source: Nordisk Statistics, 2017, Nordic Council of Ministers. Showing emissions per capita in

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, as an average for the Nordic population as a whole

and for the EU.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

On average, the Nordic region emits

just under 9 tonnes of CO2 equivalents

per inhabitant. Everyone in the Nordic

region thus leaves behind a very large

carbon footprint.

The data on CO2 emissions per

capita also play a significant role in

global negotiations. It is important

to understand that the negotiations

– seen from the perspective of the

developing countries – are not just

about the Nordic region's major CO2

reductions. Developing countries with

low emissions will naturally focus on

rich countries' high emissions. And the

most vulnerable countries – which are

most often the poorest – are naturally

enough taking the lead to include that

theme, which in the negotiations up to

the Paris Agreement concerned "loss

and damage". In general, it is a good

idea to have the current statistical data

in mind. For example, that Bangladesh

has an emission of only 0.5 tonnes per

inhabitant per year, China has 7.5 tons,

USA 16.8 tons and Tanzania 0.2 tonnes

(according to the Global Carbon Atlas).

When it comes to reductions in CO2

emissions and support and initiatives

to reinforce and streamline global

climate efforts, the Nordic countries

are clearly at the forefront. The Nordic

countries are also leading in terms of

development assistance. This means

that Nordic parliamentarians encounter

a very large amount of goodwill in

all climate contexts: when meeting

with colleagues and NGOs from the

developing countries, with the most

active global NGOs, and in relation to

green businesses.

This is a truly unique

position for a parliamentarian who

wants to establish contacts and push

for rapid green transformation.

The key sectors

The Nordic countries have developed a

quite uniform way of dealing with the

challenges of climate change, and all

have played important roles in global

climate negotiations.

With a large common energy market,

the Nordic countries have a major

opportunity to reach the forefront of

the development of future systems

for an integrated and innovative

energy system. It will be based on

many different forms of production of

climate-friendly energy, energy storage

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

and smart consumption. This will all be

linked together by stronger network

connections. The many new possibilities

are described in Jorma Ollila's proposal

to the Nordic Council of Ministers.

As for the most difficult challenges,

they also look amazingly the same.

These challenges are clearly described

in the International Energy Agency's

(IEA) and the Nordic Energy Research's

publication

Nordic Energy Technology

Perspectives 2016.

The first challenge is

to increase the flexibility of the Nordic

energy system. Second, there is a need

to create closer Nordic and broader

European cooperation on far-stronger

infrastructure across borders. Third, a

special effort is needed to limit process-

related emissions. And fourth, there is

a need to accelerate the effort to make

the transport sector CO2-free.

To this can be added that the Nordic

countries still have a lot to gain by

saving energy. In addition, the entire

agricultural and forestry area is a

challenge because there is a very large

amount of greenhouse gas emissions

from intensive agriculture and livestock.

There are also opportunities for farming

and forestry to absorb more CO2.

One can conclude that the

information from the current

reports is quite clear. Together, the

Nordic countries should all focus on:

• Full speed on expanding

renewable energy and developing

the next generation common

energy market. Now also aimed

wider in Europe

• The transport system must be

made independent of fossil fuels

at a very great pace

• Heavy industry must be

actively included in the green

transformation

• Agriculture must also deliver

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Climate legislation

Therefore, the question arises as to

whether there is sufficient legislation

in the Nordic countries and whether

there is an ideal form of legislation.

In Cicero's (the Norwegian Center for

Climate Research) 2016 report to the

Nordic Council, the Nordic countries'

climate legislation was described in a

table. The table is reproduced below,

supplemented with information about

the new climate laws in Sweden and

Norway.

Key elements of enacted climate laws in the Nordic countries

Area of coverage

EMISSION

REDUCTIONS

CLIMATE

ADAPTATION

Target

TARGETS

MANDATED

BY LAW

PROCESS

FOR

TARGETS

Process

ADVISORY

BODY

REPORTING

PARLIAMENT

Direct regulation

EU ETS

OTHER

REGULATION

–

See note 3

See note 1

–

See note 2

–

Source:

Cicero, Klimapolitikk i Norden, report

2016:07, with added information for Sweden

and Norway, who have since passed climate

laws.

Partially included: In preparing the Act, the

Folketing requires that the Minister present

national climate targets at least every 5 years.

It is also an understanding that the established

2020 target forms the basis for the law. How-

ever, these elements are not included in the text

itself

–

The Finnish Climate Act explicitly indicates

that the EU ETS is regulated by other laws and

specifies that the emissions reduction plans

mentioned in the Act apply to sectors outside

the EU ETS.

Partially Included: The Icelandic Climate Act

mandates that the government at all times

meet reduction obligations at the international

level.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

As can be seen, all the Nordic countries

have quite comprehensive legislation,

and now, after Sweden and Norway

have adopted their climate legislation,

all five countries have such legislation

in place. The laws are constructed more

or less according to the same template

as the British law, which was passed in

2008.

It will therefore be appropriate to

ask Lord Deben, Chairman of the

British Climate Committee, to assess

the significance of strong climate

legislation.

Lord Deben takes the floor:

Lord Deben has a long carrier in environmental politics,

and has been UK's longest-serving secretary of state for

the environment. He is now chairman for The Committee

on Climate Change in the U.K.

The UK is very fortunate to have tough

climate legislation. It's not prescriptive in

detail – it simply forces the Government to act

to meet the series of five-year carbon budgets

fixed at the level recommended by the Committee

on Climate Change. This entirely independent

committee announces these budgets well in

advance – we've already planned them up to

2032. The budgets detail the sequential steps

necessary to ensure we cut our emissions by 80 per cent by

2050, and they are enshrined in law and therefore have to be

met. The system is simple but it makes sure Governments don't

put off the actions we need to take because they are politically

inconvenient. The system has strong all-party support; invented

by the Conservatives; enacted by Labour; and strongly supported

by Liberal Democrats and Nationalists. It shows just how effective

tough, consistent, and continuing legislation can be.

FOTO: TRYGGVIFELIXSON

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Anders Wijkman was chairman of the

cross-party committee that laid the

groundwork for Sweden's new climate

policy framework. He therefore

provides valuable and interesting insight

into climate legislation.

Anders Wijkman takes the floor:

Wijkman is co-president of the Club of Rome and president of Climate

KIC – the EU's public-private climate innovation initiative. He is a former

Member of the European Parliament and the Swedish Parliament.

The most important was to ensure that all committee

members had the same level of knowledge and a similar

perception of the challenges. At the beginning of the process,

we thus devoted a lot of time to listening to facts and meeting

representatives from across all relevant sectors. A particularly

important question was how the rapid technology development

– digital technology, nanotechnology and biotechnology – would

affect us and the capacity to shape and implement climate policy.

It is of utmost importance to define clear goals and to stipulate

that minimal climate impact should be a key objective of all

important policy areas, as well as to ensure that the government

draws up a detailed action plan every four years. Abolishing a

law is much more complicated than changing a parliamentary

decision. Therein lies the main difference.

The legislation provides a foundation for action by all committed

parliamentarians. A climate policy council should be set up to

continuously assess the government's actions – and suggest

alternatives to government policies – this will be beneficial

to the effort. Moreover, the council's reports can be used

when addressing interpellation and posing questions to the

government.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

FOTO: SCANPIX

FOTO: A. WIJKMAN

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

The key working tools

Climate legislation with

clear climate targets

It is important that climate legislation

also establishes clear climate targets

with ceilings for emissions for both long-

term and for shorter periods. Of course,

the most certain strategy is that these

goals form part of the actual law text.

In this way, it will be more difficult to

dilute already agreed upon targets, and

the targets – especially the more short-

term – will therefore become crucial in

the annual political priority campaigns

on, among other things, the budget.

Climate legislation with

independent climate councils

Independent climate councils will

strengthen legislation precisely because

they must follow the area closely and

present proposals to the government

and parliament. The council must

be committed to the goals which a

majority in Parliament have endorsed.

It must be equipped with sufficient

professional knowledge so that the

proposals are well-calculated and

the effects documented. In this way,

the climate council will participate in

the public debate and in the political

process to ensure that the goals are

fulfilled.

The annual recommendations should

be timed so that they can be included

in budget decisions and overall

climate-related decisions. In this

way, the recommendations will be an

important and continuous part of the

work. This means that each year, the

parliamentary committee responsible

for climate will have a significant

partner in the effort.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Budgeting and

finance laws

The annual budget must of

course reflect the ever-increasing

climate involvement. And here the

parliamentarians are on their home

turf. It is the allocation of money that

governs, and therefore it is about

ensuring resources for the many

initiatives that are needed. Energy and

climate research, climate assistance,

contributions to international

institutions, resources for expanding

renewable energy, storage, smart

energy and energy savings, as well as

initiatives within transport, emissions

from industrial processing and

agriculture. In addition, there must be

sufficient financial resources to fulfil

the decision that, from 2020, the rich

part of the world will transfer USD 100

billion a year to the developing countries

as assistance in dealing with climate

change and green transformation.

Coherence and green

accounts

Coherence is about ensuring consistency

between long-term climate goals and

other policy areas. We often observe

contradictory laws and clashes

between different goals. Transport

policy, for example, is filled with such

contradictions. A parliamentarian can

ensure the illumination of these clashes

by always asking for an assessment of

new proposals and the importance of

the initiatives for the climate. Similarly,

calculations as to which sectors and

policies can thwart the objectives can

be easily obtained and then included in

the political debate and parliamentary

priorities.

As the UN and the EU are working to

spread green national accounts, it will

also be obvious to prioritize developing

it into a new instrument. With a green

national account in place, it will be easy

to calculate the impact of all economic

decisions on the climate accounts, just

as green national accounts can provide

a basis for preparing CO2 budgets. In

this way, climate will be part of the

annual discussions about the budget

with significantly greater weight than

today.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

How do you become a climate

clever parliamentarian?

A few tips

Make your own climate calendar

with the dates when reports

are expected, the most important

international meetings held,

recommendations released from

the climate council, NGOs, green

companies, etc. Update your calendar

periodically – Use it to create continuity

in your political initiatives.

Always build on knowledge

from reports, researchers, etc.

The climate area is often subjected to

counter-arguments based upon feelings

and not on facts, even though reality

may look completely different. The IPCC

has assembled and published scientific

knowledge that contains the arguments

for action. It is the most comprehensive

scientific collection of facts combined

with the construction of better and

better computer models – the best ever

made in connection with a convention.

Create your own informal

network among colleagues.

Preferably also across party lines and

ideally including colleagues from both

governing parties and non-governing

parties. It can also be official networks,

but they can be difficult to establish.

So let it primarily be your own personal

network.

Make sure you have close contact

with the NGO community and

the green actors in the business sector.

Make your office an open place for

climate-committed actors. Listen and

learn, but decide yourself. Do not allow

others to dictate your initiatives.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Build up a good network outside

the country's borders. It is often

easier to establish networks across

party lines internationally than within

one's own country. And precisely the

inter-party and transnational aspect is

a special strength in the climate area. It

can often count quite a lot in the public

debate if a new initiative has already

been adopted in another country.

• A Nordic network is the most obvious.

It is easy to communicate together,

and there is a certain pre-existing

knowledge of each other's countries.

The Nordic countries are expected

to establish even closer cooperation

in the climate field in the coming

years, and at global meetings there

will often be an opportunity to

act jointly. This is in line with the

joint arrangements that have been

organised for Nordic parliamentarians

in recent years. In contacts with

parliamentarians outside the Nordic

region, it will often be advantageous

to be able to refer to a Nordic

network. Viewed from the outside,

it is not always easy for outsiders to

distinguish the individual countries

from each other.

• A European network will come next.

First and foremost, because the EU

and EEA countries are working with

the same objectives. It is therefore

evident that in the EU system's

annual calendar and schedules, crucial

knowledge can be obtained – just as

many relevant reports are produced

and many initiatives undertaken.

Make especially sure to get in contact

with one or more members of the

European Parliament. Invite and ask

for ongoing information or just the

occasional contact, which makes it

easier for you to phone each other.

• For Nordic parliamentarians, a

global network can often start with

developing countries. Especially with

those countries with which the Nordic

countries cooperate closely. The global

network can be used in parliament

when discussing aid programmes and

their content. Is climate adaptation

included? Does my country help to

make climate plans? And do we ensure

that the proposed aid initiatives

follow the Paris Agreement and the

UN's Sustainable Development Goals?

These are obvious questions to ask.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Contacts can be established at the

annual climate summits, to which

an increasing number of developing

countries and regional parliaments

also send representatives. The same

applies to study trips to countries with

development assistance programmes,

participation in the delegations to

the UN annual General Assembly

and through the International

Parliamentary Union (IPU), where in

recent years the focus on climate and

climate adaptation has been stepped

up.

At the grassroots level for

parliamentarians, the Global

Legislators Organization

for a Balanced Environment

(GLOBE) gathers climate-active

parliamentarians across the

political spectrum and from many

countries. GLOBE was founded in

1989 and works throughout the

world. It has offices in Mexico and

Brussels. Other organizations, such

as the E-Parliament, work with

parliamentary cooperation on climate

and renewable energy.

Find current knowledge about

other countries' climate

legislation. Grantham Institute at

the London School of Economics has

assembled knowledge about legislation

around the world. It is – besides a

comprehensive documentation in order

for legislators to take on responsibility

– the only place where so much

knowledge about climate legislation has

been collected.

Build wide alliances on climate

issues and involve both

representatives from business and

the trade unions, if possible. All too

often, resistance to climate initiatives

is associated with a fear that jobs

will be lost. Therefore, collect as much

knowledge as possible about green job

creation, where goal-oriented efforts

for renewable energy, energy savings

and circular economics have created

new sustainable jobs.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Try to get the main lines of

the national climate policy

to be politically broad-based so that

everything does not suddenly change

with a change of government. This

task can be difficult, because it is also

important that there is competition

among the parties on goals and

funds. But the most important thing

is to establish durable, long-term

agreements. Here, the decisions at EU

level as well as the requirement in the

Paris Agreement on intensifying the

ambitions every five years help. But

there is a lot more to do. Hence, a lot

of effort should be directed toward

concluding agreements that will not

be scrapped when the government

changes. It is also about companies

being able to count on their investment

opportunities for a number of years

in the future. And there is a need for

billions in private investment funds.

The most important task for

climate parliamentarians is to

create broad public understanding

of the climate challenges and the

necessary instruments. It requires a

well-founded balance between, on

the one hand, the many opportunities

created by the climate initiative and, on

the other hand, the harsh situation that

we must face up to. The link between

climate action and job creation,

innovation and modernization must be

combined with information about the

risk of more uncertainty, serious refugee

problems and massive expenditures for

climate adaptation. It is important and

necessary to raise the voice, but also to

do it the right way.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Views from Nordic

parliamentarians

Robert Marshall, former Member of Parliament

in Iceland and the Nordic Council

It has been exactly one year since I left

parliament after a ten-year career as

a politician. During that decade, there was a

significant shift in the attitude of the public

when it came to global warming. I still regret,

however, that I did not use stronger language in

my work on this issue. We still have so far to go.

And what is at stake is so extremely important for

future generations. I wish I had spent more time

on climate change and less time on the day-to-

day skirmish of everyday politics that resulted in

nothing.

I think we should spend more money on informing

the public and getting people involved in the

many solutions available. I think every country should have a committee on global

warming, like in the UK, which has an educational role and also a follow-up role

to make sure that governments and municipalities are holding up their end of

international agreements.

The biggest challenge is the everyday special interests of businesses that refuse

to partake in this global challenge. A part of that problem is politicians who refuse

to acknowledge scientific data. The only way to tackle them is by informing the

public and staying focused on what's important and using every tool available to

get the message across. As an editor and a publisher of an outdoor magazine and

a working mountain guide in Iceland, I am reminded almost every day of what the

changes on our planet are doing to our glaciers. A global catastrophe is around the

corner if we do not do more.

FOTO: JOHANNES JANSSON/NORDEN.ORG

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Satu Hassi,

Member of Parliament in Finland

Chairwoman for the Environment Committee, former

minister and former Member of the European Parliament.

For me, the biggest difficulty is the fact that most people seem not to

realize the magnitude and urgency of the problem – or crisis. Maybe this

is because there is no historic experience of climate change, what it means for

societies, families and individuals. The second difficulty is business lobbying,

which is very much made possible by the first mentioned problem.

What is needed is long and shorter term emission ceilings with ambitions in line

with the climate science. To eradicate subsidies for fossils and practices that are

harmful for climate protection. And create markets and strong incentives for

climate-friendly technologies and solutions.

Climate policy is not a policy sector; climate protection means fundamental

changes in several policy sectors, if not all. In the real world it's not possible

to solve either climate or global poverty, we must solve both. My experience is

that hard political work is crucial. I played a role in the negotiations which led

to agreement on more detailed rules for the Kyoto Protocol, later known as The

Marrakech Accords, which made The Kyoto Protocol rectifiable for industrialized

countries. And in the European Parliament, I was one of the MEPs pushing

through higher climate ambition in EU decision-making.

FOTO: RIKSDAGEN I FINLAND

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Matilda Ernkrans,

Member of Parliament in Sweden

Chairwoman for the Committee on Environment and Agriculture

I was very proud when Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, in the yearly

declaration of the government, announced that Sweden would become

the world's first fossil-free welfare country. It is a very bold goal. The historic

agreement on our new climate policy framework will be an important means

to achieve this. The framework contains a long-term goal of reducing climate

emissions by 85 per cent by 2045, a climate law and the establishment of a

committee on climate change.

I myself had the privilege of participating in the negotiations between the parties

that concluded the agreement. A key success factor was the fact that the two

biggest parties in parliament, from both sides of the aisle – the Social Democrats

and the Moderate Party – decided that Sweden needed such an agreement. And

that people within these parties had the courage to bring them to the negotiation

table. It was also of crucial importance that the world agreed upon the Paris

Agreement, and this gave us the last push in order to finalize the agreement in

Sweden.

The political battle for the climate is now instead about the budget. Unfortunately,

mobilising sufficient funds to fulfil the climate

commitment has not followed the same good

pattern. The budget from the red-green

government for 2018 contains the biggest

investment in climate and environment that any

Swedish government has ever made, and I hoped

that all the parties would support it. However,

that is not the case. As I see the future battle for

climate, it will be about the level of investments.

FOTO: RIKSDAGEN I SVERIGE.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Jens Joel,

Member of Parliament in Denmark

In Bangladesh, I've visited families whose homes were regularly flooded

and who saved their children by tying them to trees when storms and high

water levels struck. In China, I've seen urban communities converted to green

district heating because it gave them a better life. And in West Jutland, I've met

industrial workers who have a job to wake up to each day because their companies

provide sustainable solutions.

The first experience is the reason why we're morally and politically obliged to act.

The last two are the reasons why we'll succeed. Climate policy is no longer driven

only by fear of what's happening in the world's poorest countries and for our

children and grandchildren's globe if we fail to transform our society in time.

Climate policy now also deals with the new opportunities for cleaner air in our

cities and more jobs, as the world's investments turn in a green direction.

I believe in international climate cooperation. There's a need for political pressure.

But in the negotiations, the arguments about new opportunities have a much

greater appeal than fear. And when it comes to practice, it's far more valuable

that Denmark and the EU can provide a technical solution and a product that

works than what we've said to developing and emerging economies during the

negotiations.

FOTO: FOLKETINGET I DANMARK

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Ola Elvestuen, Member of Parliament in Norway and

Chair of the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment

If there is one thing we have succeeded with in climate policy in Norway,

it is getting more zero-emission cars out onto our roads. It gets the

emissions down, makes the air cleaner and allows people to save money they

would otherwise spend on petrol and diesel. But it is a success that has required

hard work over a long period of time. There are especially three things I have

learned from working with Norwegian electric car policy over several decades,

which I hope may be of use to climate politicians who work with other issues in

other countries.

Things take time, but realistic goals will be achieved.

There is nothing easier for a

political body than to adopt an ambitious goal, and there is nothing easier for an

environmental party than to have an election campaign based on raising the bar

a bit higher. But the goals themselves contribute absolutely nothing to cutting

emissions. Only concrete measures can do this, and it is often more difficult to get

a majority for these, especially if they are at the expense of something, whether

FOTO: STORTINGET / TERJE HEIESTAD

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

it is government revenue or people's desire to drive a car everywhere. Therefore,

the goals we set ourselves must be realistic and be built upon a solid, professional

foundation. If the politicians adopt a goal that the experts view as completely

impossible to reach, nobody will work to get as close to the goal as possible.

We politicians must give the experts time, space and, especially, a realistic

opportunity to reach the goals we adopt. Otherwise we will get nowhere.

Everyone must be able to contribute, and all contributions must be important.

The Norwegian electric vehicle success story has come as a result of political

decisions in the Storting (The Norwegian Parliament), but also in a number of

municipalities and county councils across the country. It is much easier to get

people on board if there is something concrete with which they can contribute. If

a city politician in my party wants to increase the proportion of electric cars in his

municipality, they can do something themselves to make it happen, At the same

time, I can help them get more instruments through my position in the Storting.

All politicians want to succeed with what they are working on, and we can do so

only if all contributions are important.

You must never give up, and nothing is done before it is completed.

The first time

we decided to give special preferences for electric vehicles in Norway, we said

they would last until 50,000 of them were sold in Norway. We have achieved that

goal a while ago, but we have nevertheless continued the preferential benefits.

Because they work, and because they are important for us to be able to continue

to replace the fossil-fuel stock of vehicles at a rapid pace for many years to come.

We have not reached the finish line just because the Storting adopts a goal that

all cars sold in Norway after 2025 must be zero-emission cars, simply because

there are still several years to 2025. The goal in itself is important but not nearly

as important, or as difficult to reach, as the tools to achieve it.

Climate policy requires endurance, patience and a good dose of stubbornness. It

requires us to tolerate being scolded, both when we succeed and when we don't

succeed. But it is worth it. For the reward is a better world for those who come

after us. It is worth fighting for, every day, every budget, every debate.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

FOTO: UNSPLASH

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

The long term

2018 will be an important year – three

years after COP21. It will also be the

year that focuses on the 1.5 degree

goal and thereby the gap in the effort,

which UN Environment pointed out at

COP21. According to current prognoses

we have today, researchers will present

more warnings. The need for stronger

reductions and greater efforts for

climate adaptation is already more

evident, at the same time as the

discussion of the economic transfers

from rich to poor countries will become

more intense.

We need to think more long-term.

Precisely for this reason, we cannot wait.

The long term is now.

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Abbreviations

The global discussion on climate includes many abbreviations and technical terms.

For a climate parliamentarian, it is necessary to be familiar with these abbreviations

and negotiation terms. We have therefore provided the list below. But it is also

a good idea not to use these terms in the public debate, which is about getting

everyone involved.

COP

EEA

ETS

GHG

Conference of the Parties

European Economic Area

Emissions Trading System

European Union

Greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,

chlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons

GLOBE

Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organisation

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IMO

International Maritime Organisation

LULUCF

Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry

NDC

National Determined Contributions

UNFCCC

United Framework Convention on Climate Change

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal

IEA

International Energy Agency

References

Climate Change Laws of the World,

the database can be found at the website

www.lse.ac.uk

Climate Change 2014,

Synthesis Report, Summary for Policymakers, IPCC.

Global Climate Atlas,

can be found at the website www.globalcarbonatlas.org

Klimapolitikk i Norden,

Cicero, report 2016:07.

Nordic Energy Technology Perspectives 2016,

International Energy Agency.

The Paris Agreement,

autentic text can be found at the website www.unfccc.it

Nordic Energy Co-operation:

Strong today – stronger tomorrow, Jorma Ollila.

Nordic Council of Ministers,

2017.

The Climate Parliament,

www.climateparl.net

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

About the author

For more than 30 years, Steen

Gade has been active in climate and

environmental issues. He has been

a Danish climate and environmental

politician, climate representative for

the Nordic Council, Director of the

Danish Environmental Protection

Agency, Vice President of the European

Environment Agency and active in

GLOBE. He has participated in 14

climate summits, and today he works

as an adviser to the Nordic Council in

connection with the annual climate

summits.

FOTO: STEEN GADE

EFK, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 108: Publikationen "Clever climate legislation"

Nordic Council

Nordens Hus

Ved stranden 18

DK-1061 Copenhagen K

www.norden.org

The parliamentarians around the world find themselves faced

with a major task of developing wise and effective climate

legislation, which can maintain the world on course with the

goals set by the Paris Agreement of 2015. Using legislation,

the parliaments must hold the government firm on an

overall climate goal. They must approve the laws that are a

prerequisite for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

and create an understanding among their respective voters

for the measures deemed necessary to contribute to the

solution to the challenge of climate change.

Unfortunately, there is no blueprint and definitive answer to

the question of what constitutes good climate legislation.

Fortunately, however, there are now many experiences upon

which we can draw in order to reduce the risk that ambitions

for good climate laws are not fulfilled. In this handbook for

parliamentarians, Steen Gade, former MP in Denmark and

former member of the Nordic Council, has collected some

of the experiences of climate legislation and parliamentary

climate work that has been carried out in the Nordic

countries so far. The book contains some advice and tips on

how to become a climate clever parliamentarian. The Nordic

Council decided to publish this book in the hope that both

current and future generations of parliamentarians in the

Nordic countries, as well as in other countries, will be inspired

and benefit from it, in the effort to limit the dangerous

effects of global climate change.

ANP 2017:765

ISBN 978-92-893-5235-2 (PRINT)

ISBN 978-92-893-5236-9 (PDF)

ISBN 978-92-893-5237-6 (EPUB)