Deliver Your News to the World

Companies cut their greenhouse gas emissions - Norwegian total emissions increase


WEBWIRE

OSLO, NORWAY – WWF has negotiated with “Climate Saver” companies a total reduction of greenhouse gas emission that equal 20% of Norway’s total emissions in 2007. Spitsbergen Travel (ST) is the first Norwegian company which has joined the Climate Saver group. WWF and ST announced today their agreement to reduce greenhouse gases from the company’s operations. The agreement also commits ST to become climate neutral by 2010.

ST is the first Norwegian company to sign an agreement with the WWF Climate Savers scheme which commits companies to primarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions on an absolute level.

Rasmus Hansson, CEO WWF-Norway, is happy about the achievements.

“WWF’s cooperation with the industry to achieve emission reductions shows that it is possible to make fast and substantial cuts if you just want to. It is worrying that Norway is heading in the opposite direction. With the current policies, Norway will reach record-high emissions this year,” says Hansson.

Norway’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 were 8% above the 1990 base year emissions, in complete contradiction to the commitments in the Kyoto Protocol. According to the Kyoto Protocol, Norway was supposed to have no more than 1% higher emissions compared to 1990 in the period 2008 – 2012.

"This is why it is so important that the negotiations in parliament, which resume today, make a clean cut with the current unsuccessful climate policy,” says Hansson.

Spitsbergen Travel has committed to reduce the company’s CO2 emissions by 16,867 tons in the period 2008 – 2013. This cut equals a reduction of about 2,800 tons per year which is as much as the annual emissions of 6,000 cars. By 2013, Spitsbergen Travel’s emissions shall be 7% less than in 2005.

Jan S. Sivertsen, Spitsbergen Travel’s managing director, says that the company will achieve the emission reductions through adjustments to equipment and infrastructure, investing in more efficient snow mobiles and by using alternative fuels should those become available on Svalbard.

“For the emissions that we cannot effect directly, like transport of people and goods to the island, we will buy CO2 emission quota certified according to the Gold Standard. Thus, our operations will become climate neutral by the end of 2010,” says Sivertsen.

Oliver Rapf, who is in charge of WWF’s business involvement on climate change, challenged other players in the tourism industry, and particularly Spitsbergen Travel’s parent company Hurtigruten, to tackle their emissions and become a ”Climate Saver.”

“WWF is convinced that the industry has to take responsibility for its carbon footprint. Sound business practices must include the managementand reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. There is just no way around it. The way companies address climate change is also increasingly becoming a criterion for business analysts when valuing a company,” says Rapf.

Rapf presented the joined results of the Climate Saver companies’ reduction efforts, which includes big international corporations like Sony and Tetra Pak.

The Climate Saver-companies had in 2007 committed to a total greenhouse gas reduction of about 10 million tons CO2 equivalents, which equals about 20% of Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2007.


Contact:

Rasmus Hansson, CEO, WWF-Norway, cellphone: +47 90 68 63 13.

Jan S. Sivertsen, Managing Director, Spitsbergen Travel, tel. +47 41 45 06 42



WebWireID56496





This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.