Organised the Norwegian Climate Foundation, the first five of these morning meetings have had an average attendance of roughly 100 people. Subjects have varied from green innovation and solar energy to oil drilling in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian government’s intentions with its ownership of fossil fuel giant Statoil.
“Our emphasis is on a balanced panel, where the speakers contribute from their various standpoints to a knowledge-based discussion,” explains project manager Anne Jortveit.
“Because highly qualified players come to share analyses, research and views, these breakfasts are very worthwhile for those who take part.
“We’ve also given emphasis to involving new voices in the discussion on energy change and the choices this involves. More people with something to say must share what they know.”
Key civil servants, politicians, industrial decision-makers, academics, opinion-formers and journalists are the main targets for the Climate Breakfasts. The first five were held at Oslo’s Grand Hotel. Continued support from the Kavli Trust for the next two years means at least one breakfast every six months can be staged in other big cities.
“Thousands of decisions are taken every day by companies, central government and local authorities which help to speed up or delay the transition to a low-carbon society,” notes Jortveit.
“Through our Climate Breakfasts, we want to contribute knowledge and informed debate which can lead to more decisions which are right for the climate.”
The Norwegian Climate Foundation prepares reports in connection with the breakfasts. The most recent of these was entitled What does the solar energy revolution mean?
Each of the Climate Breakfasts is filmed and transmitted directly (in Norwegian only). They are also subsequently published on Energiogklima.no.
The Norwegian Climate Foundation
was established in 2010 and has particularly close ties with Norway’s leading knowledge institutions. Its council is drawn from such bodies as the Universities of Bergen and Oslo, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Christian Michelsen Research, Sintef Energy, the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, the Nansen Centre and UNI Research.
Contacts
Anne Jortveit, project manager, Norwegian Climate Foundation, mobile: +47 976 71 822, e-mail: annejortveit@klimastiftelsen.no
Inger Elise Iversen, general manager, Kavli Trust, mobile: +47 908 94 567, e-mail: ingerelise.iversen@http://kavlifondet.no