Recommendations:
- Sanctions on Russian oil & gas resulting from the invasion of Ukraine have made Norway EU's primary supplier, but locking-in a high carbon export pathway is a major risk for Norway
- Norway’s key role in Europe’s energy transition and working towards a green strategic autonomy is matched with the importance of the European Union for the future phase out of Norwegian oil & gas production
- In the longer term, EU’s strategic goals, set by the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, are also Norway’s goals, there is no conflict of interests
- This makes the Green Partnership between Norway and the EU mutually beneficial and requires European policymakers’ commitment in helping Norwegian partners raise climate policy ambitions while creating viable economic alternatives to petroleum extraction
- Nordic states cooperation can help; the Nordics are among the most ambitious climate policy leaders, but Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO leaves Norway as the only half-member of the European family.