One is hard pressed to find examples in history, where sovereign nation states voluntarily chose to cede or share sovereignty in the monetary field. It is therefore clear that European Economic and Monetary Union has been and will continue to be part of the wider economic and political project that the process of European integration process has represented from the very start. Monetary union is certainly not only about money. It is an important element in the very successful quest for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in Europe. This quest involves the building of trust and the sharing of sovereignty among European partners and the building of common institutions, in cases where this is desirable for the benefit of all. Europe is more than a collection of nation states, but it also stops far short of becoming a single federal entity. I do not believe that a stable monetary regime necessarily must have its root at the level of the nation state. Going back in history the international gold standard coincided with an era of stability. It was a system that was fundamentally based on rules and which transcended the nation state. Nevertheless, as a currency that is new and not linked in the traditional way to the nation state the euro does face particular challenges in winning the trust and the hearts of the people. Money is clearly regarded as more than simply a medium of exchange or a unit of account.
Norges Bank became a member of the NGFS in December 2018. The primary objective of this network is to create an arena for central banks and financial supervisors to exchange experiences and share best practices in developing environment and climate risk management in the financial sector. We consider this network to be an important meeting place to arrive at a well-considered understanding of the role and activities of central banks in this field. 3/3  BIS central bankers' speeches