Emission obligations have been met

The NOx Fund can now document that the emission obligations for 2007, 2008 and 2009 laid down in the Environmental Agreement on NOx have been met.

The Environmental Agreement on NOx between 14 business organisations and the Ministry of the Environment came into force 1st January 2008. By the end of March 2010 close to 600 enterprises had joined the Environmental Agreement. This constitutes over 90 % of all enterprises obligated to pay NOx tax, and represent an even greater share of the emissions subject to NOx tax. Reporting to the NOx Fund shows that the emissions from these enterprises was close to 184 000 tonnes in 2008 and 2009, of which 81 600 tonnes or 44 % come from oil and gas production.

The total amount paid by the enterprises to the NOx Fund indicates that the NOx Fund will have NOK 1.8 billion at its disposal for support to NOx reducing measures until the end of 2011.  

According to the Environmental Agreement point 3.2 the business organisations shall make sure that the annual NOx emissions are reduced by 2 000 tonnes by the end of 2008, and 4 000 tonnes in 2009. The measures must be implemented by the end of 1st quarter 2010.

As of 30 March 2010 DNV has verified implemented measures which represent a reduction of 6 221 tonnes or 103 % of the obligations as calculated from 1st January 2008 and until the end of 1st quarter 2010 in total. These reductions originate from 139 of the 216 projects that according to the assurances of support shall be implemented from 1st January 2008 until the end of 1st quarter 2010. This documents that the reduction obligations in the Environmental Agreement for 2008 and 2009 have been met. Verified measures implemented in 2006 and 2007 are also higher than the 1000 tonnes NOx laid down in the Agreement.

If all applied-for measures are implemented as implied until the end of 2011, the business organisations will, in all probability, fulfil a total emission reduction obligation that will bring the emission in the sectors covered in the agreement down to less than 98 000 tonnes NOx annually as set out in the Environmental Agreement.