Can greenhouse gas emissions in Rogaland be halved by 2030

Norway has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 50-55 percent by 2030. To achieve this goal, measures need to be implemented in all sectors across the country. Emissions are falling in Rogaland county, but, at the current rate, emission cuts will barely reach 15 percent by 2030. What will it take to match the national target?

Kan klimagassutslippene i Rogaland reduseres med 50% innen 2030?

Rogaland county is responsible for 8.5 percent of Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions. If Norway is to achieve its national emissions targets, Rogaland needs to cut its emissions considerably.

In recent years, the annual decline in Rogaland’s CO2 emissions has averaged just below 1.3 percent. At the current rate, emissions in 2030 will be just 15 percent below their current level. Consequently, the pace of emission cuts needs to increase if Rogaland is to come into line with Norway’s national emissions targets.

The composition of emissions in Rogaland differs from the national picture in two ways. Firstly, a few industrial facilities are responsible for a substantial share of total emissions. The facilities of Hydro at Karmøy, Eramet in Sauda and Gassco in Kårstø emit more than 44 percent of total GHG emissions in the county. Secondly, Rogaland is a county with considerable agricultural activity and is responsible for 15 percent of all Norwegian agricultural emissions.

Measures in sectors outside the EU ETS are not enough

In 2020, the Norwegian government launched the ‘Klimakur 2030’ report covering emission reduction measures for sectors outside the EU ETS i.e., sectors other than EU-ETS industry, aviation, and oil and gas. Dietary changes, reducing food waste and increasing the use of batteries and hydrogen in ferries are relatively cost-efficient measures that can significantly reduce non-ETS emissions in Rogaland. The increased electrification of road transport and ships as well as the increased use of biofuels for road, construction and maritime transport are also effective emission reduction measures, albeit with middling to high costs.

Further measures in EU ETS sectors are needed

The current combination of emission reduction measures in Rogaland will not deliver emissions cuts of at least 50 percent. Emissions from the EU ETS sectors dominate, especially industrial emissions.

Combining emissions reduction measures in the non-ETS sectors with some measures in the ETS sectors could yield cuts of 30 percent. However, to achieve emission reductions of at least 50 percent, in line with national targets, extensive measures, e.g. carbon capture and storage or electrification, need to be implemented in the industrial sector.

Analysis

Our analysis of GHG emissions in Rogaland is available in a report commissioned by the power companies Lyse and Haugaland Kraft. We have also carried out a similar analysis of the GHG emissions in southern Rogaland on behalf of Lyse.

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