Extending Bellona cooperation

Statoil has decided to extend the cooperation agreement with the environmental organisation Bellona by three years.

The deal, which will run until October 2004, means that Statoil will provide financial support to Bellona’s environment and cooperation programme for the business community. Through the programme Bellona aims to contribute to long-term and strategic solutions that will result in significant improvement for the environment.

“We agree with many of Bellona’s long-term objectives but perhaps disagree with their tempo and the way they go about things,” says Statoil’s environment vice president Knut Barland.

Statoil is sponsoring the programme because the group can benefit from knowing how the environmental organisation thinks, and how it sees the future, he says.

“It’s useful for us in planning our future activities.”

Mr Barland adds that both parties have a lot to learn from each other, and that the agreement provides opportunities for regular meetings and dialogue.

Statoil has supported Bellona since 1996.