More accurate climate policy

PLATON is the name of the biggest social science climate research project in Norwegian history. Working alongside CICERO, Statistics Norway, the Institute of Transport Economics, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Frisch Centre and NIBIO, PLATON collects knowledge to ensure that Norwegian climate policy is more effective and easier to implement, thereby helping Norway achieve its climate targets for 2030 and 2050.

In 2019, the PLATON consortium was awarded NOK 48.5 million from the Research Council of Norway and, in additional to contribution of time and money by the participants own, the total budget amounts to NOK 72.5 million.

The purpose of the PLATON project is to gain knowledge on how Norway can achieve its greenhouse gas emission targets and comply with the regulations in the Climate Change Act. Questions to answer include what instruments are the most effective when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while increasing uptake – both individually and together.

“Interdisciplinary cooperation is essential if we are to achieve the climate targets,” says NIBIO researcher Klaus Mittenzwei.

Mittenzwei leads the work in regard to finding climate policy instruments for the agriculture and forestry sector, in addition to land use and land use change – meaning land converted for different use, such as from forest to car park or shopping mall. He explains that there are many instruments suitable for climate work. They include economic and financial instruments, those related to acts and regulations, along with information work.

“Climate change is caused by the effects humans have on natural processes, and it goes without saying that a combined approach involving the social and natural sciences is needed to obtain a knowledge base for decision-making,” Mittenzwei explains.