After CEO and President Bård Mikkelsen had welcomed the participants, one subject was on everyone’s minds: How to cut greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time meet the demand for energy, industry and development?

Minister of the Environment Erik Solheim was the first speaker. As the speaker closest to the COP15 talks, he was able to give an account of the possibilities for an agreement and the hindrances on the way.

Baby steps

John G. Bernander, president of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, had a brand-new presentation from the Norwegian Business Climate Panel, and said they envisaged a realistic cut of 12 million tonnes of CO2 in Norway by 2020, which is several million below what the attending members of parliament had agreed in their climate compromise. Bernander said the question is whether there is a political solution for the final couple of million tonnes.

He reminded the audience of a lesson he had learned from former prime minister Jan P. Syse:
”One step back when you’re going in the wrong direction is one step in the right direction! The most important thing right now is to take all the baby steps in the right direction,” Bernander said.

Cuts are possible

Throughout the seminar, participants from business and commerce, NGOs, Parliament and the Cabinet learned more about the solutions at hand, and how greenhouse gas emissions can be cut. Secretary General of Eulectric, Hans ten Berge, said carbon neutral energy production in the EU is possible by 2050, but this involves making the necessary investments and using every energy source available in order to reduce emissions.

Bjørn Stigson, head of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, made it clear that the actions needed to achieve cuts are not made at a global level, but at national and regional levels. But global principles are needed, and these are the ones being discussed in Copenhagen.

105 solutions

CEO Bård Mikkelsen told the invited guests about the 101 solutions Statkraft and Bellona are presenting downtown Copenhagen, and the seminar participants also got a quick trip to Rådhuspladsen to see Statkraft’s pavilion, which is a part of the City of Copenhagen’s Hopenhagen event.

In addition, four seventh graders from Junior Achievement – Young Entrepreneurship presented their solutions to the climate crisis, including using the energy generated from collecting all the water from all the floors in an apartment building. Everyone agreed that 101 Solutions should be renamed 105 Solutions.