Budget agreement reached

On saturday morning the 4 coalition partners came to an agreemnt on the govenments fiscal budget for 2017, just in time before the financial debate in Parliament. The basic demand from the Right wing " motorist package '' remains intackt, but the Liberal Party and Christian Democratic Party  negotiated a number of new measures that moves the budget in greener direction. ''We believe we submitted all time greenest budget, but it has now become even greener'', said prime minister Solberg. The budget agreement has the potential for substantial greenhouse gas emissions cuts in 2017. Up to  662,500 tons of CO2 equivalents, as opposed to the original budget estimate of 200,000 tons.

Some of the major ''green'' changes are

• Establishment of a  CO2 fund to strengthen the private sector's efforts to reduce emissions.
• Environmentally friendly cars will be cheaper.
• A flat CO2 tax will be introduced.
• There will be a requirement of 20 percent biofuel mix.
• A climate bill will be establised, based on Britain's bill . 
• All major ports in Norway will have on-shore electrical power from for visiting cruise ships
• Increased focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS).
• Increased ''wreck return'' on older fossil fuelled cars if replaced  environment-friendly cars

Other changes relating to childrem family and education include

• More resources allocated to combat violence against children.
• 500 new student ICT and 300 new student housing.
• The investigation of violence against children is strengthened .
• Earmarked resources for medical examinations of violence and abused children families.
• More resources to the NCIS Section of sexual offenses, Internet-related offenses against children and youth.
• School health services will be boosted.
• Increased resources for staffing in kindergaten.
• There will be increased teacher density from 1 to 4.
• The fight against child poverty will also be strengthened, both with fresh funds and pilot projects with free nursery / SFO in more municipalities.
• An increase of 25%, to 61.120,- nok/month disposable allowance for parents who have children without having earned the right to parental benefits
• Increase in to 7.500,- for all-year-olds.

Source. The Norway Post, NRK, Aftenposten