Page 15 - Green knowledge 2025

Photo: Erling Fløistad
Greenhouse gas accounting: LULUCF
The greenhouse gas accounting for LULUCF (Land use, Land use change and forestry)
provides municipalities with insight into emissions and removals from forests and other
land uses.
The most significant source of greenhouse gas emis-
sions is the use of fossil energy sources such as oil,
gas, and coal. However, how we manage forests and
other natural areas also plays a major role in how the
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
will develop in the years ahead.
To mitigate climate change, Norway has committed
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50
percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. This
target applies to emission sectors such as waste,
energy, industry, and agriculture. In addition, comes
LULUCF, which includes emissions and uptake from
terrestrial areas.
Land use changes are a big contributor to emissions,
and this is especially the case when the land use
changes from forest and peatland to other land use.
“Preventing development and new cultivation in
­ forests and on peatlands are effective measures to
reduce emissions,” says NIBIO Senior Adviser
­ Katharina Hobrak.
“Municipalities decide how land areas are used.
Therefore, it is important that we now also have
land-use and greenhouse gas accounting for each
individual municipality.”
To track this, the country submits a national account
of greenhouse gas uptake and emissions every year.
The municipality-level greenhouse gas accounting
for LULUCF has been developed by NIBIO in collab-
oration with the Norwegian Environment Agency
and can help Norwegian municipalities prioritise
measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked
to land use and land-use changes.
Purpose: To help Norwegian municipalities prioritise measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to
land use and land-use changes.
Collaboration: Norwegian Environment Agency
Funding: Norwegian Environment Agency
Contact: Senior Adviser Katharina Hobrak, Division of Forest and Forest Resources.
Email: katharina.hobrak@nibio.no | Phone: +47 452 00 883
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