D Budget

OSLO—Norwegian scientists and policy-makers have overwhelmingly agreed to spend a large share of the nation’s growing R&D budget over the next five years on environmental technologies.

The Royal Norwegian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research recently agreed to campaign for a 40 percent increase in research funding (see THE SCIENTIST, November 2, 1987, p. 7). The council now has identified environmental technologies as an important area to receive additional money.

The areas of greatest promise include automatic data collecting and environmental (especially meteorological) monitoring encompassing technology developed during studies of acidification; wastewater cleansing technology, particularly as applied to fish farming (pound for pound, salmon generate as much effluent as people); nontoxic antifouling marine coatings; analytical instrumentation; and antipollution technology for the oil and energy industries.

The council hopes these new environmental technologies will complement existing Norwegian expertise in biotechnology, information and data processing, offshore oil technology, aquaculture and new materials....