Arts and Culture Norway has developed a climate and environmental programme for the cultural sector, including the creation of a support fund for the green transition and the establishment of environmental requirements for recipients of government funding. The assignment came in the wake of a report that showed that half of Norwegian cultural organisations had not initiated any activities to adapt to a changing climate. 70 per cent said they wanted to do more, and just as many thought the state should take a leading role.
The climate and environment programme contains a number of measures, some of which are priorities for 2025, and concern competence development and rescue, environmental protection for the acquisition of state cultural goods, and a regulation on green building in the sector.
The Norwegian Directorate for Culture is working on the first four measures in the programme, which will be implemented in collaboration with the cultural sector. The fifth measure, which is a grant scheme, is currently being developed. The detailed immediate actions planned are:
Web portal for the green cultural sector: A web portal that brings together relevant regulations, information, tools, best practices, inspiration, grant schemes and other resources for climate and environmental work in the cultural sector. The portal provides access to professional expertise, environmental solutions, adaptation measures and guidance in one place. The portal serves as an important resource for institutions, organisations and artists, ensuring that information is easily accessible to all actors.
New guidelines and tools: Developing tools to support green transition adapted to the needs of the cultural sector. These resources are in the form of guides, checklists, templates and other tools that are made available to all cultural organisations. The measure will help to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to make it possible to make sustainable choices, and that these can be used by different types of actors across fields in the cultural sector.
Course and conference programme: Course and conference programme to strengthen expertise in green transition in the cultural sector. The programme can offer practical courses, workshops, conferences and webinars. The programme is planned to be largely digital or hybrid, so that it is available to participants across the whole country, both live and recorded. The programme focuses on building expertise and sharing knowledge, success stories and learning from mistakes. The aim is to promote sustainable practices and collaboration across the sector.
Environmental requirements for recipients of government funding: Standardisation of environmental requirements in government grant schemes for the cultural sector, with a gradual introduction adapted to the size and capacity of the organisations. The requirements should be feasible and contribute to change without compromising artistic freedom or other conditions that are essential for create and practise art and cultural activities.
Environmental fund/innovation funds for green transition: Establishment of a support scheme for green transition in the cultural sector. These funds can support both measures that reduce negative environmental impact and increase positive impact. For example, the scheme can promote innovation, circular solutions and environmental expertise. One purpose may be to stimulate the development of green solutions in the implementation of cultural activities. Promote co-operation and knowledge sharing between cultural organisations to strengthen innovation and help develop
new culture-specific climate and environmental measures.
In parallel with the implementation of the climate and environment programme, the Norwegian Directorate for Culture will measure emissions from the cultural sector and monitor how the cultural sector's sustainability work develops over time.
The climate and environment programme has been designed in close collaboration with the cultural sector through input meetings and consultation workshops. Kulturtanken and the Norwegian Film Institute have been part of the working group for the programme.
Lubna Jaffery, Minister for Culture and Equality, said: "The cultural sector has been asking for action and tools to strengthen its capacity to make the green transition... Last autumn we held an input meeting with the sector and the programme that is being launched responds to many of the inputs. It is exciting to see the work of the sector contributing to the green transition and I look forward to seeing the results".
Read the full climate and environment programme here
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Photo credit: Plastique Fantastique (Berlin, Germany)
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