STAVANGER (Nettavisen Økonomi 🙂 On Monday, the Green Party (MDG) politician Lan Marie Berg came to the oil capital Stavanger to visit Nysnø Klimainvesteringer, campaign at the university and in the city center – and take a trip to the Norwegian Oil Museum.
There, Berg got to explore Norwegian oil history and see models of oil platforms. The museum deals with the effect of oil on society, the economy, the social and the political. After the tour, the MDG politician was clearly impressed.
– It is very fascinating. It is incredible to hear about some of the biggest events in Norwegian industrial history and everything that has been achieved through oil, says Berg.
– Did you learn anything?
– I have learned a lot, says Berg, and points out the 472 meter high Troll platform, which makes the 324 meter high Eiffel Tower in Paris look small in comparison.
Watch the video interview with the MDG profile in the window below:
Do not doubt: – Must stop looking for oil
Despite the fact that Berg is full of enthusiasm for Norwegian oil history and the expertise Norwegian oil workers possess, she is aware that the oil capital Stavanger and the industrial clusters along the coast must adapt before it is too late.
– If we do not manage to create the safe jobs now, that train can go. Here, there is a lot of industrial history and expertise that we have gained through oil, and which we must use for the renewable energy revolution that the world is going through, says Berg.
– Tens of thousands of people in Stavanger, Sandnes, Randaberg and Sola work in the oil industry today – what do you say to those you meet today who wonder what they will live on if the MDGs have significant influence?
– MDG will not leave those who work in the oil alone in this. We will start the restructuring now so that we ensure green, safe jobs for those who work in oil today. Then we must stop looking for more oil and start spending the large investments on new energy instead of in the oil. Now even the IEA says that they advise against new investments after 2021, says Berg.
MDG has set a program end date for the oil industry in 2035, and will stop all oil exploration immediately for climate reasons. The party will also establish an oil commission to start a planned liquidation of the industry.
– What do you and MDG want to do for the Stavanger region and the cities and towns along the coast that today are closely linked to the oil and gas industry?
– We have seen, not least here in Stavanger, what happens when the oil price drops dramatically in a short time. Many thousands became unemployed and house prices fell dramatically. This is not the kind of change we want when we see the world change and switch to renewable energy. We must start the restructuring now so that we can use the expertise we have gained in the oil to create the new jobs, says Berg.
Also read: Environmental activists occupied ministry buildings and blocked traffic at Majorstukrysset
Will close the oil studies
Recently, Berg said that Norwegian educational institutions should close down all oil education, and received pepper from UiS Rector Klaus Mohn, who thought the scheme was poorly thought out and helped to caricature the debate. On Monday, Berg and Mohn met to discuss further.
– In some areas, Klaus Mohn and I agree, for example that we should stop with the exploration refund scheme and move the money to renewable energy, says Berg.
Read also: MDG will close all oil education in Norway
She believes it is high time that universities such as UiS and NTNU stop offering sophisticated petroleum educations.
– I think it is deeply irresponsible to continue to tell students that these are safe jobs. We must rather ensure that they get safer jobs in renewable energy, and therefore we believe that we must also close down the clean petroleum studies, says Berg.
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