JAKARTA - The European Union is urged not to relax the ban on Arctic oil and gas drilling - a coalition of financial institutions, trade unions, and climate scientists from Nordic countries is urging the European Union to continue to reject new oil and gas projects in the Arctic.
Quoted from Anadolu Agency, Thursday, May 28, the insistence came as the European Union reviewed its Arctic strategy. The coalition is concerned that Brussels is softening its stance on new drilling in the region.
Since 2021, the EU's Arctic policy has supported a global ban on new oil and gas projects in the region for environmental reasons.
In an open letter to the five European commissioners, the coalition warned of two major risks: environmental damage and security threats.
They said the geopolitical situation around the Barents Sea was becoming more sensitive. Oil and gas infrastructure near Russian territory and the Northern Sea Route are considered vulnerable to sabotage or hybrid attacks.
"If oil and gas from Norway's Arctic region become important for European energy security, that infrastructure would be a more attractive target for sabotage and make the EU vulnerable to such attacks," the letter said.
The appeal was supported by 127 signatories, including former German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and former Danish Minister for Climate and Energy Connie Hedegaard.
The coalition also warned of the risk of oil spills and leaks. The Arctic is a fragile region, while its temperature is warming four times faster than the global average.
They judged further fossil fuel development in the southern Barents Sea as an "unmanageable threat" to marine biodiversity.
The economic reasons are also questioned. Oil and gas projects on the Norwegian continental shelf usually take about 13 years before they start producing. That is, the fields approved today are likely to only operate around 2040.
The coalition also quoted estimates from Rystad Energy, a Norwegian energy research company. According to them, the resources that can be produced commercially in the Barents Sea are much lower than the Norwegian government's projections.
New liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects are also considered risky for extending Europe's dependence on fossil fuels. This is because such projects usually require long-term purchase contracts that can exceed the EU's climate target in 2050.
Instead, the coalition called on the EU to prioritize electrification, expansion of renewable energy, and increased efficiency of the electricity grid.
However, not all parties agree with a complete cessation of exploration. Norwegian energy company Equinor supports the EU's Arctic strategy update, but rejects a total ban on exploration. According to the company, the northern region remains important for energy security and stability.
The European Commission confirmed that the 2021 Arctic strategy is being revised. However, the discussion is still in the early stages and there has been no final decision.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
