New report will influence Norwegian energy research

The Research Council of Norway is one of the GEA’s sponsoring organisations. Launched in June 2012 in Brazil at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, the final report is now being presented in a number of countries. Ged Davis, Co-President of the GEA Council, presented the report’s key findings at a seminar in Oslo on 3 December.

Will influence Norwegian research in key priority areas

The report sets out 61 pathways for development in the years leading up to 2050, and outlines how an increase of USD 500 billion in relation to current global investment levels can be used to enhance energy security, reduce air pollution, boost health and mitigate climate change.

Edgar Hertwich (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Ged Davis (GEA Council) and Shonali Pachauri (IIASA) have all contributed to the GEA. Kirsten Broch Mathisen is Vice-Chair of the IIASA Council and Committees. Photo: Claude R. Olsen

“The GEA report is of tremendous relevance to the Research Council in the strategic priority areas of oil and gas, renewable energy and climate,” asserts Fridtjof Unander, Executive Director of the Division for Energy, Resources and the Environment at the Research Council.

Global perspective

“The government white paper on research states that Norwegian research is to help to solve global challenges. The GEA shows that there are many ways of tackling these challenges. The report provides a wealth of useful information on a wide array of solutions,” says Mr Unander.

Senior Adviser Julie Christiansen at the Research Council encourages research environments and other key actors in society to engage in concrete dialogue on how to incorporate the GEA’s recommendations into Norway’s national research strategy.