Sustainable Meetings in Oslo
Welcome to Oslo – a pioneer city for sustainable meetings and events.
Oslo was named the European Green Capital in 2019 and has since then further strengthened its position as one of the world’s most sustainable cities. The city has implemented some of Europe’s most ambitious climate initiatives, including the world’s first climate budget, which requires emissions to be counted just like financial expenditures. The goal is to reduce emissions by 95% by 2030 compared to 2009 levels.
Oslo consistently ranks at the top of the Global Destination Sustainability Index and leads the way in electric mobility, green building practices, and circular economy solutions. The city’s compact design, clean energy infrastructure, and close connection to nature make it ideal for hosting low-emission events without compromising on quality or experience.
The meetings and events industry play an important role in Oslo’s climate strategy. 95 % of hotels, venues, and suppliers are environmentally certified and collaborate closely to make sustainable event planning easy and effective.
Certified Venues and Hotels
Oslo makes it easy to choose sustainably. 97 % of the city’s hotels are environmentally certified, along with many of the most frequently used conference venues.
The largest conference centers, Oslo Congress Centre and NOVA Spektrum, are both certified by the Eco-Lighthouse scheme (Miljøfyrtårn), meeting strict standards for energy use, waste management, transport, and supplier practices. Several unique venues, such as the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet and the Norwegian Maritime Museum, are also certified and offer inspiring, environmentally friendly settings for meetings and events.
Hotels in Oslo take a systematic approach to climate and social responsibility. Most are certified through programs such as Eco-Lighthouse, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, or ISO 14001. Many have implemented initiatives related to food waste reduction, carbon offsetting, and social inclusion.
Nature-Based Experiences with a Low Climate Footprint
Oslo is green not only in mindset, but also in landscape. About two-thirds of the city’s area consists of forests, parks, rivers, and lakes. The former industrial harbour has been transformed into a 9-kilometre-long waterfront promenade offering recreation and activities in the heart of the city.
Oslo’s unique proximity to nature makes it easy to organise low-emission activities year-round. Options include guided forest hikes, kayaking on the fjord, cold-water swimming, or sauna sessions, all within walking distance or a short public transport ride from the city centre.
Green activities
A Taste of Sustainability – Local and Responsible Food
Sustainable ingredients and food waste reduction have become top priorities for hotels, restaurants, and venues in Oslo. Many work actively toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially the goal of halving food waste by 2030.
Menus increasingly feature organic and locally sourced ingredients. Many establishments grow their own herbs and vegetables and offer plant-based or meat-free alternatives. From casual bistros to Michelin-starred restaurants, Oslo offers green culinary experiences for every taste.
Sustainable choices are also reflected in conference menus. Many venues offer climate-friendly meal options and work closely with local producers to ensure high quality and responsible resource use, without compromising on taste.
Green Mobility and Accessibility
Oslo is a pioneer in zero-emission mobility and aims to become a nearly emission-free city. Known as the electric vehicle capital of the world, the city has one of Europe’s most environmentally friendly public transport systems. All city buses are now electric, and trams, metro lines, and ferries are powered largely by renewable energy.
At the same time, Oslo is compact and walkable. Most attractions and venues in the city centre are within walking or cycling distance, and the public transport system makes sustainable travel effortless.
Oslo’s transport hubs are also leading the green transition. Oslo Airport is one of the world’s most environmentally friendly airports, with BREEAM certification and innovations such as snow-based cooling in the summer. The Port of Oslo offers shore power for ferries to Denmark and Germany, significantly reducing emissions and improving air quality in the harbour area.
Guide to more sustainable events
Wondering what measures to take to make your event as sustainable as possible? We have put together a list of planning suggestions, that will not only lower the footprint of the event - it will probably enhance the event experience too.
For more inspiration, we suggest this comprehensive guide on how to organize low-emission events put together by The Norwegian environmental organisation Zero.
Want to learn more about hosting a sustainable event in Oslo?
Contact us at [email protected], and we'd be happy to guide you in the process.
How to Offset Your Event’s Carbon Footprint?
To make it easy to compensate for the carbon footprint of a conference or a congress, VisitOSLO has created an account with CHOOOSE – a Norwegian initiative that enables businesses to easily measure, track and offset its carbon footprint, all in one place.
You can simply add the number of participants and days, plus the flights to and from Oslo. The calculator will then estimate how much each participant will cost per day.
For example: a two-day event with 250 participants will correspond just below 24 tons, which will cost from NOK 1 770,– to compensate, depending on which portfolio you choose.
CHOOOSE offers a varied portfolio of climate compensation solutions, including Blue Carbon, Community projects, Nature-based solutions, Renewable energy, Carbon Removal, Sustainable Aviation Fuel. This means that you can choose a project solution that is relevant for the theme of the congress.
This is our Climate impact so far:
Read more about CHOOOSE and the different projects they support.