• Publisert: 27 januar, 2025

The blue and the green and the city in between – this is the setting for the European Green Capital of Oslo. Surrounded, as it is, by green forested hills on one side and the blue Oslo Fjord on the other, easy access to nature is a key factor in Oslo’s high livability.

This access is greatly treasured by Oslo’s citizens. Oslo’s population is growing, now exceeding 700 000. The city enjoys low unemployment rates and relatively high average incomes and standards of living. However, property prices are among the highest in Norway, making affordability a significant issue. Additionally, the city faces challenges related to economic inequality in certain areas, youth unemployment, and the integration of immigrants into the labour market.

In Oslo, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are an important foundation for our social and spatial planning. Sustainable development means meeting the needs of today’s population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The Sustainable Development Goals encompass three dimensions: climate and environmental, economic, and social. Oslo is committed to integrating all 17 Sustainable Development Goals into our daily operations and services, striving to make a positive impact and contribute to their global achievement.

The municipal master plan is the primary governance tool, facilitating comprehensive and long-term development of the city. The plan, which contains a social as well as a land use element, balances various interests and needs, ensuring that development aligns with overarching goals and strategies.

It also ensures that land use, transportation, housing development, business growth, and environ[1]mental considerations are coordinated in a way that promotes sustainability and quality of life for our citizens.

The social element of the plan is currently under revision and comprises six goals, one of which is that Oslo will be green and vibrant. This goal comprises the following themes:

  • ▸ Climate-resilient zero emission city
  • ▸ Developing and improving environmentally friendly modes of travel
  • ▸ Sustainable energy supply
  • ▸ Saving the Oslo Fjord and conserving forests
  • ▸ Making space for nature in the city
  • ▸ Circular economy

There is strong cross-party consensus in Oslo on the importance of safeguarding biodiversity and livelihoods for future generations, ensuring that we leave nature and the environment in at least as good a condition as we inherited them from our parents. The City of Oslo holds a dual responsibility: as a steward of the city’s climate and environment, and as a capacity builder for its citizens and businesses.

We must actively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. In addition, the city is committed to minimizing other forms of pollution, such as waste, noise and air pollution, preserving green structure and biodiversity, and ensuring safe water for all. Surveys indicate that 8 out of 10 citizens are happy in Oslo, with increased satisfaction in air quality, noise conditions and traffic levels compared to 2018, and a higher usage of parks and recreational areas.

Since Oslo’s year as the European Green Capital in 2019, we have made significant strides towards becoming a greener and more sustainable city, as illustrated by the following trends:

  • ▸ Greenhouse gas emissions in Oslo have been reduced by 28 per cent from 2009 to 2022.
  • ▸ Greenhouse gas emissions from the City of Oslo’s own operations have been reduced by 86 per cent from 2012 to 2022.
  • ▸ Air pollution and the amount of household waste has decreased, while noise pollution has remained stable. Air and noise pollution are greatest on major roads and in the central parts of the city.
  • ▸ New green areas have been established at the same time as the city’s population has grown.

In 2021, 27 per cent of the urban area was zoned as green area and as much as 47 per cent was covered by vegetation. Some important innovations which have contributed to our becoming a more sustainable city are procurement standards that require municipal construction sites to be zero emission from January 2025, ambitious policies that promote the transition from fossil to electric vehicles, a prize winning approach to mainstreaming climate into decision-making processes through annual climate budgets, the reopening of buried watercourses, and the restoration of peatbogs to enhance biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

Finally, we would like to highlight the importance of citizen engagement and participation in the green transition. Without the support and active contribution of our citizens, Oslo would not have achieved the status of Green Capital. We are proud to say that Oslo entering 2025 is a living example of what can be achieved when a city and its people come together to create a sustainable future. We hope this report will inspire other cities and communities to follow in Oslo’s footsteps and work towards a greener and more sustainable world.