A Norwegian environmental crusader and four Statoil carbon-dioxide managers will help direct the European Union’s drive to 20 percent less of the greenhouse gas from 1990 levels by 2020.

Frederic Hauge of Bellona, Norway’s answer to Greenpeace, and the four Statoil carbon-unit leaders will be among 250 advisors from industry and Green groups helping the EU determine which large projects to pursue and how country’s are to get involved.

Europe’s plan of 9 March 2007 will focus on the long-term removal and storage of 56 percent of the carbon emissions at select power-generation centres, it was made clear this week.

Carbon management has raged as an issue in Norwegian politics: The “Red-Green” coalition government has presided over changed dates for deliveries of the first scrubbing and storage solutions.

Europe, meanwhile, aims to have 12 pilot projects for carbon capture and storage by 2015. An Advisory Council will feature Hauge and Statoil director Arve Thorvik.

“(For Statoil), the ambition is that the Mongstad energy project and Halten carbon dioxide project can become pilot facilities for carbon management in Europe,” a Statoil statement said.

The 2020 plan declared by the EU also makes 20-percent renewable energy 10 percent bio-fuels targets.

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