– A climate disaster that will have lots of benefits – E24

The airline Norwegian demands that the government introduce new EU rules. Sofie Marhaug in Rødt believes the move is “downright undemocratic”.

If the government does not introduce the EU’s renewable energy directive, plane tickets will become more expensive and the route offer will be significantly weakened. That was the message from Norwegian on Thursday morning.

NHO Luftfart and the Conservative Party say they fear the company will move its operations out of Norway if the rules are not introduced.

– Threatening to deflagrate is not particularly sympathetic, but everyone understands that this type of competitive bias is not viable, said NHO head Erik Lahnstein.

This causes Rødt politician Sofie Marhaug to react.

– It is directly undemocratic. Here we have a climate change that will have many benefits.

– But the renewables directive is also about the municipalities’ right to say no to wind power and a reasonable processing time for power concessions, so that the consequences for nature are taken seriously.

Marhaug believes that the debate about the EU rules is about important democratic issues that “not a capital owner” can decide.

EU dispute

There is a full row about new EU rules after the union’s energy leader threatened Norway with sanctions.

Norway lags behind in introducing a number of EU rules. Among them is the so-called Renewable Energy Directive, which contains new targets and rules for renewable energy. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has been criticized for EU hesitation.

The directive also contains a kind of transition fund to help the airline industry transition away from fossil fuels.

Simply explained: Norwegian can get this support if the government introduces the two latest versions of the EU’s renewables directive.

Biofuel is currently estimated to cost three to five times as much as fossil fuel. With the EU’s rules, Norwegian can have up to one hundred percent of the additional costs of the sustainable fuel covered.

In an email, Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap) writes that he understands that Norwegian and others are calling for progress in the matter.

– The government is working to reduce the lagging implementation of EEA-relevant legislation on energy, including of course the Renewable Energy Directive from 2018, he writes.

– However, it is important that we make thorough assessments of the content of the regulations. We work to safeguard Norwegian interests, and it is important that the peculiarities of the Norwegian energy system are taken into account in a good way. The Norwegian authorities have a good dialogue with the EU about this.

Will reduce air traffic and drop biofuels

The Rødt politician goes so far as to encourage people to drop the company if Norwegian does not want to follow Norwegian rules – and asks the owners to get rid of the name.

– There is nothing Norwegian about flying the flag, says Marhaug.

– This is about many jobs. Shouldn’t we take their warning seriously?

– This is about many jobs, but when they threaten something as un-Norwegian as simply running away from Norway, there is nothing to protect.

The point of biofuel is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation industry, which accounts for around two percent of the world’s emissions, according to the energy agency IEA.

Marhaug believes the government should facilitate emission cuts in the industry in other ways.

– We probably have to reduce air traffic a little, not subsidize it.

– How might it look politically if one were to reduce air traffic and drop biofuel?

– It is a political responsibility. Biofuel is a limited resource. I think you have to set political goals for reduced traffic, and it is natural to cut traffic where there are opportunities for trains.