Oljeskatt for a new time

Review lift in an editorial 6. December an important discussion about oljeskattesystemet and climate risks. It is high time to wind up the beneficial schemes for the oil industry.

Kari Elisabeth Kaski. Show more

the oil Industry has in fact considerable tax benefits, justified by a desire to promote investment and diversity on the Norwegian continental shelf.

When skatteinsentivene have worked according to the intention, they have led to economic gains through that it has been carried out investments that have had good earnings. When the incentive has not worked according to the intention, they have led to what has been taken investment decisions that should not been taken with regard to profitability.

- its oil wealth should not sell oljeaksjer

The sharpest example is the Goliat field in the Barents sea, where it is likely that the taxpayers will be left with a large bill as a result of that investment, which can be profitable for the individual business becomes unprofitable for the society.

such A possible outcome should alone be enough to secure a review of the oljeskatteregimet, with a goal of avoiding the waste of society's resources. But the main reason to conduct such a review and to actually make the changes is that the tax system is built up in a time when the goal was increased investment. Now is over in a høstings and nedbyggingsfase, and it should be reflected in the tax system.

the EUROPEAN union, with both good and bad news for the Norwegian gas Leader

today the government delivered a report on climate risks in the Norwegian economy. Is the report good gives us a good starting point to understand how vulnerable the Norwegian economy is, in a world that should now Parisavtalens goals and fight climate change.

We are an oil nation, and oljeprisfallet in 2014 illustrated to all how vulnerable we are. Nevertheless, klimarisikoutvalget has been explicitly told to not look at the oljeskatten. It must not be a security blanket. I challenge miljøminister Ola Elvestuen to ensure that oljeskatten being reviewed and changed. For the climate, and for the Norwegian economy.