Norway's greenhouse gas emissions rise

The state agency said the increase came after two straight years of decline in climate damaging emissions. It said most of the increase came from technical difficulties in starting up state-controlled oil company StatoilHydro ASA's new liquefied natural gas plant on Norway's northern tip. Increased road traffic also contributed to the rise, it said.

The total emissions for the year were 55 million tons (60 million U.S. tons)of carbon dioxide equivalents, or 10 percent more than Norway's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol for the 2008-2012 period.

"The figures that were presented today came as no surprise," said Deputy Environment Minister Heidi Soerensen. She said Norway would meet its commitments to cut carbon dioxide emissions by investing in pollution-reduction projects in other countries, as allowed by the Kyoto treaty.

The government has estimated that greenhouse gas emissions may rise to 58.5 million tons (64.5 million U.S. tons) per year in 2010, and said that it would also buy carbon quotas to help offset the excess.

In January, the coalition government and opposition parties agreed to a target of making Norway, a major oil and natural gas exporter, carbon neutral by 2030, by reducing pollution at home and buying carbon dioxide quotas abroad.

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