As a city covered in agricultural land, protected forests and waterways, Oslo is one of Europe’s leading eco-friendly cities.
Oslo has significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than any other metropolitan cities in Europe, and with the help of its population and the promotion of energy efficiency by its government, Oslo is successfully staying green and making use of innovative sustainable methods.
Here’s how Norway’s biggest city keeps it so green:
Eco-Friendly Transportation
By 2050, Norway as a whole is striving to become fully carbon neutral, and its transportation sector is helping it reach this goal.
Through a variety of incentives, including access to bus lanes, free parking, no-cost charging stations and lower vehicle taxes, Oslo has encouraged a large portion of its population to purchase electric vehicles, giving it the world’s highest number of electric vehicles per inhabitant.
Car and bike sharing programs are currently in place as well, and roughly 85% of school children in Oslo either walk or ride their bikes to and from school, significantly cutting down on carbon emissions.
The Use of Biofuel
Oslo’s heating system is currently powered by 80% renewable energy, mainly from biofuel created from residual waste.The city’s energy recovery facilities convert waste thrown out by millions of households into heat and electricity for the city of Oslo. “Four tonnes of waste has the same energy content as one tonne of fuel oil” says Pat Mikkelsen, the director of the waste-to-energy agency in Oslo. Within the next decade, Oslo plans on expanding the system to reach 100% renewable sources for heating.
Oslo’s goal is to completely phase out the use of fossil fuels by the year 2020. By eliminating the use of fossil fuels, Oslo believes converting waste into energy will help cut its carbon emissions in half within 20 years making the city one of the greenest on the planet.
If you’re planning on traveling around the world, Oslo, Norway is an amazing place to enjoy an eco-friendly experience. Oslo advocates low-impact, sustainable tourism, and the clean air and bike rental stations promote scenic and invigorating explorations around the beautiful city.
Have any thoughts on this amazing and eco-friendly city? Please feel free to share in the comment section beow – we’d love to hear from you!
Resources
Green tech: The most eco-friendly cities in the world
Norway uses waste as eco-friendly fuel
Top Ten Greenest Cities in the World for 2015
Oslo, Capital of the Electric Vehicle World
I will put Oslo on my list of places to visit!
Absolutely!
I know very little about this area of the world. Thanks so much for sharing this information. Perhaps someday I’ll make my way over there to enjoy the fresh air.
I wonder whether some driverless cars for urban areas will be electric?
Oslo is such a beautiful city!
I would love to live there, or at least visit and see how wonderful it is to be in such an environment caring place!
Amazing. It would be fun to visit Oslo.
It would be great to see more eco-friendly transportation in our area such as Olso is doing.
Vancouver (Canada) has pledge to be the ‘greenest city in the world’. It’s a very lofty goal, and yet it’s one that can never be reached. It’s a great idea because they will continue to strive for new and innovative ideas to keep being ‘green’
I would love to visit Norway!
Adding this to my travel bucket list! <3