Norway is putting pressure on the EU. to remove the moratorium on mining in the Arctic, aiming to exploit its deposits and reduce Russia's dependence.
The Norway It has long been urging the European Union to lift the moratorium on drilling for oil and gas extraction in Arctic. In this area is almost the 1/3 the country's oil resources, which could help reduce its dependence on Russian energy on its Member States.
Although it does not belong to the EU and legally could go into drilling in the Arctic, Norway is closely linked to European institutions, it is a member of European Economic Area (EEA) and maintains agreements in the internal market.
Furthermore, the EU is one of its main trading partners. Norway is the largest exporter of oil and gas in Western Europe and, according to Bloomberg, covers the 30% EU and United Kingdom gas demand.
Unlike Norway's proposal for the Arctic: The «green» Adopted by the Commission on 19 December.
In this context, Norway asks the EU. relax her attitude. Within 2026, he has already sent 11 ministers in Brussels to discuss various issues, including the Arctic. However, Oslo's intention conflicts with the position of the European bloc, which stipulates that: «Oil, coal and natural gas must remain underground, even in the Arctic regions.».
The dispute lies in climate change and EU green policies, seeking to avoid the exploitation of exhausted resources and investment in renewable energy sources. The EU considers that in the Arctic there is a great potential for geothermal, wind and hydropower, as well as for green hydrogen.
These policies are in line with the climate obligations of the bloc, according to Claude Veron-Reville, EU Special Representative for the Arctic. Norway disagrees, however, and considers that there is insufficient reason to treat the oil extracted above and below the Arctic Circle differently.
According to Bloomberg, asset managers, academic and environmental organisations also oppose Norway's position. In fact, they sent a letter to the European Commission asking that protection of the region be maintained and strengthened.
Signers believe that opening up to natural gas or oil extraction in the Arctic brings about «irreversible environmental damage» and keeps Europe dependent on fossil fuels. In any case, definitive developments are expected over the next period, as the EU is to update its Arctic policy within the year.
