Greenpeace Nordic and Nature and Youth released an announcement informing that they are appealing the judgement in their case against the Norwegian Government regarding Arctic oil drilling.
In the People vs. Arctic oil climate lawsuit, the Norwegian State was sued for violating the Norwegian Constitution’s environmental Article number 112 for opening up a vast new area for oil and gas drilling in the Norwegian Arctic. Greenpeace and Nature and Youth will challenge the judgement by taking the legal battle directly to the Supreme Court.
“There is already enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to seriously damage our future. By opening up these pristine areas for oil exploration Norway is effectively smuggling its emissions outside of its own borders and furthering climate change, which harms everyone, everywhere,” stated Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace in Norway.
The Norwegian government, for the first time in 20 years, opened up a vast new, pristine area in the Barents Sea for oil exploration. A total of 13 oil companies were granted 10 licenses. The two environmental organisation believe that the assignment of these licenses violates the environmental rights in the constitution.
The organisations won a partial victory earlier in January, when the Oslo District Court recognized the citizens and future generations constitutional right to a healthy environment. However, the Court did not invalidate the Arctic oil licenses as a breach of these rights, something that has been strongly criticized by legal academics. During the appeal, Greenpeace and Nature and Youth claim that the judgement is based on an improper assessment of the evidence and false interpretation and application of the law.
In January, the Oslo District Court ruled that the country did not act unlawfully, after awarding exploration licenses in the Arctic Barents Sea to Statoil ASA and Chevron. Furthermore, it added that Norway’s decision does not pose a significant risk for environmental damage and there are enough curative measures.
