Opened the Norfund conference

The 2020 Norfund conference was centred on the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

Those with the least are affected the most

“The pandemic has hit the world hard. And like the pandemic, climate change has, and will, also hit us hard. It will affect us in different ways, but as so often before, it is those who are most vulnerable who pay the highest price,” said Crown Prince Haakon from the stage.

Before a group of 80 members of the Storting, business leaders and environmental and social activists, the Crown Prince spoke of how both the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have the greatest effect on the most world’s vulnerable countries. The conference was also streamed to viewers around the world, including in Maputo, London and Boston. 

Crown Prince Haakon's speech at the opening of the Norfund conference. Photo: Simen Løvberg Sund, The Royal Court

The Crown Prince, who visited Tonga, Fiji and Samoa last year, cited his own, first-hand experience of seeing the major impacts that climate change is already having around the world. He stressed the importance of investing in clean energy in efforts to raise the standard of living in developing countries.

Lack of access to energy is one of the main obstacles to overcome when working to lift countries and people out of poverty. Providing access to energy, while still reducing the global carbon footprint, will require investment in renewable solutions.

“One of the things COVID-19 has taught us is that global crisis knows no boundaries. We are all in this together, and we have to solve the problems and dilemmas together,” Crown Prince Haakon said to the audience.

Norfund

The Norwegian Government Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund) is a state-owned investment company whose mission is to promote economic growth, employment, competence-building and technology transfer to developing countries. Norfund’s Head Office is in Oslo, with local offices in Costa Rica, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Thailand.