Norway

Norway is down two places to 11th in the CCPI and retains an overall high rating. The country ranks first among all countries in Renewable Energy, with a very high rating. It receives a high in GHG Emissions, but low in Climate Policy and very low in Energy Use.

The Climate Change Act, in force since 2017, is Norway’s primary climate legislation. It sets out GHG emissions reduction targets of 55% by 2030 and 90–95% by 2050, compared with 1990. This is complemented by the 2021 Climate Action Plan, aimed at implementing the national climate targets. However, following the KlimaSeniorinnen Switzerland ruling at the end of 2024, the Norwegian Human Rights Institution stressed several shortcomings in the Act, including the absence of a national carbon budget and insufficient intermediate reduction targets. The CCPI country experts also criticise both instruments for ignoring emissions from Norway’s fossil fuel exports, which average 500 MtCO₂eq annually. The country is among the 10 countries with the largest developed gas reserves.

Leader in RE, with near total automobile electrification, but RE projects have repeatedly violated human rights

In June 2025, the Climate Change Act was updated, targeting a 70–75% GHG emissions reduction by 2035. However, it permits the use of flexible mechanisms, such as the purchase of emissions quotas abroad. The CCPI country experts assert that this makes Norway overly reliant on international emissions trading schemes.

Norway generates nearly all its electricity from renewable sources, primarily hydropower. The country is pursuing an ambitious electrification strategy, especially in the transport sector. In 2024, electric vehicles made up about 90% of new automobiles registered, and the sale of fossil fuel automobiles is planned to halt by the end of 2025. However, the experts point to several concerns. First, renewable energy projects have repeatedly resulted in human rights violations against the indigenous Sámi people, whose lands have been used for development. Also, although electrification is advancing, much of Norway’s broader decarbonisation strategy is still focused on maintaining oil and gas production. The experts unanimously criticise the absence of a phase-out plan and the continued expansion and subsidisation of gas and oil exploration. They maintain that this approach prolongs the fossil fuel era. Norway also has set a target of saving 10 TWh by 2030 through energy efficiency, and the experts stress that a concrete action plan is needed.

An active international climate participant, though an obstacle on oil and gas phase-out

The experts welcome Norway’s decision to not issue new licenses for deep-sea mineral extraction in Arctic waters in 2024/25, taking a step to limit environmental impacts from its natural resources. However, the country remains a major wood exporter, and the experts note that forestry and agriculture are still largely excluded from core climate policies, despite their carbon and biodiversity impacts.

Norway continues to play an active role in international climate negotiations and often positions itself as a leader, such as through its climate finance initiatives. In 2025, it renewed its commitment to tackling tropical deforestation with Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative, by pledging NOK 4.25 billion (approximately USD 420 million). At the same time, the CCPI experts point out that Norway acts as an obstacle in negotiations on phasing out oil and gas; for example, the country refuses to join the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA).

Overall, the experts emphasise the need for Norway to develop a long-term plan for GHG emissions reduction, including a clear oil and gas phase-out strategy. They also highlight the importance of integrating sectors such as forestry and agriculture into climate policies, developing an energy efficiency action plan, and ensuring that renewable energy expansion respects indigenous rights and biodiversity.

Key Outcomes

CCPI experts

The following national experts agreed to be mentioned as contributors for this year’s CCPI:

• Anette Bruer Stepanoski & Helga Lerkelund (The Norwegian society for Nature Conservation/Naturvernforbundet)
• Johan Hermstad Reinertsen (Future in our hands)