Environmentalists, who wanted to prevent energy companies from extracting oil and gas in the Arctic, sued the Norwegian government.
Environmentalists who went to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) accuse the Norwegian government of not preventing the drilling works despite climate change.
The case, which will shed light on whether countries have the right to exploit the natural resources of the Arctic, sets a precedent.
Who owns the area? What about oil and gas reserves?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 160 billion barrels of oil and 30 percent of the natural gas the world has yet to discover are located in the Arctic.
Countries with land and sea areas in the region; Denmark to which Norway, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, USA, Canada and Greenland are affiliated.
Since most of it is the sea, there are no international agreements to protect the environment, just like in Antarctica.
On the other hand, drilling becomes easier as global warming causes the ice to melt in much of the region.
What is known about the case against Norway?
Norway, Europe’s largest oil producer, has since 2016 received several licenses to explore for oil and gas in the Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle.
Last year, six Norwegian youth and two environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, complained to the ECHR about the Norwegian government’s policies.
Activists accuse Norway of “violating fundamental human rights” by allowing drilling activities in response to climate change, and argue that the ice sheets are melting faster due to the pollution created by drilling.
The group refers to Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to life, and Article 8, which protects the right to respect for private and family life.
Three courts in Norway have so far rejected the case, but the ECtHR takes this matter seriously and asks the Norwegian government to make a defence. The government responded on Tuesday by arguing that Norway remains committed to international efforts and cooperation on climate change.
The ECtHR plans to make the file a precedent for similar cases in the European Union.
Which other countries are drilling?
Russian oil companies have been working in the region for more than 10 years. Two years ago, a major oil spill occurred in the region.
The United States is also planning to give oil companies permission to drill in northern Alaska. There was a major oil spill in Alaska in 1989 while drilling Exxon Valdez. The leak also endangered the untouched nature.
What are the rights of countries in the region?
All countries that have territory in the Arctic Region can claim over the sea surface in areas close to their coasts.
Countries can declare exclusive economic zones to draw borders at a maximum distance of 370 km from their coasts.
They also have the right to fish, extract natural resources and build infrastructure in these areas.
Today, there are also tensions about which country some regions belong to.
Canada, Russia, and Greenland claim 1,721 km of undersea mountains that run through the Arctic, also known as the Lomonosov Ridge.
The winning country will also be able to claim over 55 thousand square meters of seas around the Arctic.