# Bård Vegar Solhjell # Bård Vegar Solhjell **Bård Vegar Solhjell** (born 1971) is a Norwegian former politician for the Socialist Left Party (SV) who served as Minister of Education and Research (2007–2009) and Minister of the Environment (2012–2013) in [Jens Stoltenberg](/people/jens-stoltenberg)'s Second Cabinet. He held senior positions in SV, including deputy leader, and was a member of parliament. After leaving politics, he transitioned to leadership in environmental and development organizations, serving as Secretary General of WWF Norway (2018–2019), Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) (2020–2025), and since June 2025 as CEO of Fornybar Norge, the industry organization for renewable energy. He has also chaired the Fritt Ord Foundation Board since July 2025. Solhjell holds a master's degree in political science from the University of Oslo and the University of Bergen. During his political career, he represented SV in parliament and served as State Secretary to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, in addition to his ministerial roles overseeing education, research, and environmental policy. In his post-political roles, Solhjell focused on sustainability and international development. At WWF Norway, he led environmental conservation efforts before heading Norad, where he oversaw significant budget growth and reforms in Norwegian development aid. He was nominated by Norway as a candidate for UNDP Administrator in 2025 but withdrew to accept the position at Fornybar Norge. As CEO of Fornybar Norge, Solhjell advocates for expanded renewable energy production in Norway. He has publicly expressed strong global support for nuclear power as a stable, area-efficient, and relatively safe energy source that can complement renewables, while remaining uncertain about its immediate suitability for Norway due to costs, timelines, and the country's existing hydropower resources. Since July 2025, Solhjell has chaired the Fritt Ord Foundation, an organization promoting freedom of expression, where he previously served as a board member since 2017 and deputy chair since 2018. He brings international experience to efforts strengthening the foundation's global engagement, focus on technology, youth, and media debates. ## Early life and education ### Early life Bård Vegar Solhjell was born on 22 December 1971 in Kristiansand, Vest-Agder, Norway. He was raised in Naustdal in the Sunnfjord region of Sogn og Fjordane county, where he attended local schools during his childhood and adolescence. Solhjell developed an early interest in youth politics and became active in Sosialistisk Ungdom (the youth wing of the Socialist Left Party), serving on its central board from 1991 to 1992 and as deputy leader from 1992 to 1994. ### Education Bård Vegar Solhjell earned a Master’s degree (cand.polit.) in political science from the University of Oslo and the University of Bergen. His studies emphasized sociology, comparative politics, and the history of ideas. Before fully committing to a political career, Solhjell worked as a teacher. ## Political career ### Socialist Left Party roles Bård Vegar Solhjell held several senior positions within the Socialist Left Party (SV) over more than a decade, contributing to the party's organization and leadership. He served as party secretary of SV from 2001 to 2005. In this role, he was responsible for key organizational efforts during a period of electoral growth for the party. In March 2007, Solhjell was elected deputy leader of SV, a position he held until November 2015. He served alongside other leaders, including Kristin Halvorsen and later Audun Lysbakken, and was one of two deputy leaders during much of this tenure. In October 2015, he announced his intention to step down, citing a personal struggle to maintain motivation despite the party's positive outlook during the election campaign, and his resignation was formalized at the party's national board meeting in November 2015. In 2011, Solhjell announced his candidacy for SV party leader to succeed Kristin Halvorsen but withdrew on 24 September 2011 during a national board meeting, stating he lacked sufficient support within the party to win and did not wish to burden SV or his family with a prolonged contest. He emphasized his continued commitment to the party, noting he would remain active as deputy leader until the 2013 national convention. Solhjell also held earlier roles within SV, including as a political adviser to the party and its parliamentary group. In 2005, following his tenure as party secretary, he transitioned to a state secretary position in the government. ### Ministerial positions Bård Vegar Solhjell served in executive positions in Jens Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet as a representative of the Socialist Left Party (SV). He first joined the government as State Secretary (statssekretær) at the Office of the Prime Minister on 17 October 2005, a role he held until 18 October 2007. He was then appointed Minister of Education and Research (kunnskapsminister) on 18 October 2007, serving until 20 October 2009. In this capacity, he oversaw policies related to education and research within the [Norwegian government](/organizations/norwegian-government). Solhjell returned to the cabinet on 23 March 2012 as Minister of the Environment (miljøvernminister), a position he held until the Stoltenberg II government's conclusion on 16 October 2013. During this tenure, he served as the deputy to the Prime Minister and acted as a key SV figure in government decision-making. ### Parliamentary service Bård Vegar Solhjell was elected to the Storting as a representative for Akershus for the Socialist Left Party (SV), serving from October 2009 to September 2017. He held the position of parliamentary leader of the SV group from 2009 to 2012, with his tenure as leader running from March 2010 to March 2012 after a brief initial period in late 2009. During his first parliamentary term (2009–2013), Solhjell served as Second Deputy Chair of the [Foreign Affairs](/organizations/foreign-affairs) and Defence Committee from October 2009 until March 2012. His parliamentary activities were interrupted from March 2012 to October 2013 due to his service as Minister of the Environment, during which time substitute representation was in place. In his second term (2013–2017), Solhjell was a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee from October 2013 to September 2017 and a member of the Control and Constitutional Committee from October 2014 to September 2017. He also held deputy leadership roles within the SV parliamentary group during parts of this period. In May 2016, Solhjell announced that he would not seek re-election to the Storting, stating his intention to withdraw from Norwegian politics after the conclusion of his term in 2017. His parliamentary service ended in September 2017. ## Post-political career ### WWF Norway In March 2018, following his departure from active politics after the 2017 parliamentary election, Bård Vegar Solhjell was appointed Secretary General of WWF Norway (Verdens naturfond). This marked his transition from a long political career, including senior roles in the Socialist Left Party and ministerial positions, to leadership in a major environmental non-governmental organization. He assumed the role on 1 March 2018 and led the organization for nearly two years. During this period, Solhjell emphasized the critical nature of environmental challenges, advocating for stronger global action on nature protection. In April 2019, he commented on a WWF report, calling for a global nature agreement at least as ambitious as the [Paris Agreement](/facts/paris-agreement) on climate. In November 2019, Solhjell announced he would step down to take up the position of Director General at Norad, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, starting in January 2020. He described his time at WWF as "exciting and educational," expressing gratitude for the opportunities and trust he received while bringing his passion for environmental issues to the role. WWF's board chair noted the organization's stability under his leadership, with competent staff poised to continue delivering results. ### Norad leadership Bård Vegar Solhjell served as Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) from January 2020 until the summer of 2025. During his more than five-year tenure, Norad's budget expanded threefold as the agency took on expanded responsibilities in managing Norwegian development aid. Solhjell emphasized reforms that made Norwegian aid more knowledge-based and effective, with Norad administering around 30 billion Norwegian kroner annually by the end of his leadership. In May 2025, the Norwegian government nominated him as a candidate for Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He withdrew his candidacy to accept the position of CEO at Fornybar Norge. ### Fornybar Norge and recent roles In June 2025, Bård Vegar Solhjell assumed the position of administrerende direktør (CEO) of Fornybar Norge (Renewable Norway), the national industry association for renewable energy under the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), representing over 400 member companies. In this role, Solhjell has advocated for accelerated development of renewable energy in Norway and Europe, describing it as the most important climate solution, essential for new productive industry, energy security, and lower energy prices. He has emphasized that expanding renewable capacity is among the most critical tasks for Norway and Europe in the coming decades. As of February 2026, Solhjell publicly expressed strong support for nuclear power, stating "I am very much in favor of nuclear power" and rejecting the notion that it threatens hydroelectric or wind energy; however, he questioned whether it is the right choice for Norway at present while remaining open to future exploration. In July 2025, Solhjell was appointed chair of the Fritt Ord Foundation Board, having served as a board member since 2017 and deputy chair since 2018; he succeeded Grete Brochmann and stated his intention to lead the foundation amid heightened threats to freedom of expression while strengthening its international engagement. He withdrew his candidacy for UNDP Administrator in 2025 to accept the Fornybar Norge position. ## Personal life ### Family and residence Bård Vegar Solhjell is married and has three children. He has resided in Son, a village in Vestby municipality near Oslo, since around 2007. ### Interests and hobbies Bård Vegar Solhjell has maintained a lifelong fascination with chess. As a child, he was a talented player, and in adulthood, the game evolved into a more private passion. In 2014, he published the book *Sjakk – ei kjærleikshistorie* (Chess – A Love Story), in which he explores the origins of chess, its history, prominent players, and its cultural presence in areas such as film, music, and politics. The book presents chess in an accessible and entertaining manner, aimed at curious readers interested in the game. Solhjell has also been actively involved in children's sports. He previously served as a coach for an eight-year-olds' football team in Son, a role he held until his political responsibilities made it too time-consuming in the winter of 2012–2013. This experience informed his public comments on youth dropout in football and the risks of excessive level division and specialization in children's sports. ## Dated facts _No published facts on this page yet._ ## Methodology https://factrail.ai/methodology Canonical: https://factrail.ai/people/bard-vegar-solhjell