Growing numbers of tourists are leaving a worrisome footprint on Svalbard’s fragile environment, according to the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA). In a new study, NINA proposes tougher regulation of tourism in the Arctic archipelago and of the cruise industry in particular. “The increasing tourism has clear negative effects,” NINA scientist Hogne Øian told […]
Equinor gives up drilling down under
February 25, 2020
After years of massive protests that also hurt Norway’s national reputation, state oil company Equinor is dropping plans to drill for oil and gas off the southern Australian coast. Environmentalists, climate activists and local surfers were jubilant, even though Equinor cited purely commercial reasons for its decision. “Following a holistic review of its exploration portfolio,” […]
Labour keen to shoot more wolves
February 20, 2020
Norway’s Labour Party is drawing fire over a controversial new proposal to make it easier to shoot more wolves in Norway. As the wolf population grows, to the relief of conservationists, Labour is scaring former environmental allies with what it claims is merely an attempt to reduce high conflict levels. There are now somewhere between […]
‘Sell off Equinor’s foreign operations’
February 11, 2020
Investment funds and analysts aren’t the only ones questioning the long-term value of Norway’s state oil company Equinor. Now a member of the Norwegian Parliament is renewing calls to spin off and sell Equinor’s international operations, claiming they present both political and financial risk and often don’t adhere to Norway’s climate goals. “I see few […]
Svalbard worth more than ever
February 7, 2020
Nearly a million Norwegians have been sitting through hours of more “slow TV” this week on a daily basis, apparently mesmerized by the beauty and history of Svalbard. Sunday marks 100 years since a post-World War I treaty gave Norway sovereignty over the wild and scenic archipelago, where new underwater discoveries may make the area […]
New ‘climate cure’ after warm January
February 3, 2020
It’s official: January ended as the next-warmest ever in Norway, with nine counties setting new records for high temperatures in the middle of what’s supposed to be winter. State officials hope a new “climate cure” will help, if everyone takes the proposed medicine. Norway’s state Meteorologic Institute reports that southeastern Norway experienced the warmest January […]
Court agrees wolf hunts were invalid
January 31, 2020
WWF won a long-sought victory this week when an appeals court ruled that two out of three wolf hunts authorized by state officials in 2017 and 2018 were invalid. The hunts involved wolves belonging to managed and protected packs, while a third hunt won court approval. The hunt allowed in the winter of 2017-2018, when […]
Climate change ‘is happening now’
January 27, 2020
It was raining again on Monday in Oslo, where no snow has fallen in January for the first time since measurements began 83 years ago. In the mountains of Stryn, farther to the north, cattle were released from their barns to graze on green grass. Something is clearly wrong when winter seems to have disappeared. […]
Climate activists to appeal latest loss
January 23, 2020
Environmental organizations and concerned climate activists are appealing to the Norwegian Supreme court after a lower court ruled Thursday that oil production in the Barents Sea does not represent a violation of the Norwegian constitution. “We are happy the Norwegian Court of Appeals acknowledges current and future generations’ right to a healthy environment, and that […]
Equinor, NHO strike back at oil critics
January 8, 2020
NEWS ANALYSIS: It was no coincidence that Norway’s state oil company Equinor launched a new initiative to cut its own carbon emissions earlier this week. The ambitious cuts were announced just before the ceremonial but controversial opening of its huge new oil field Johan Sverdrup, and just before Norwegian business leaders were being told to make […]
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