Norway Seeks to Lift Injunctions on Oil and Gas Fields Amid Climate Concerns

Norway's government approaches an appeals court to lift injunctions on developing three oil and gas fields. The lower court had earlier ruled these permits invalid due to insufficient climate impact assessments. The outcome could affect Norway's major oil and gas industry financially and environmentally.

Norway's government is set to challenge an appeals court on Wednesday to lift existing injunctions against the development of three oil and gas fields. This is a part of Oslo's broader effort to overturn a previous verdict that invalidated these permits on environmental grounds.

In January, a lower court determined that Norway's energy ministry had failed to adequately assess the climate impact of future emissions from these fields. This verdict was the result of a lawsuit brought by Greenpeace and Nature and Youth. The court subsequently issued temporary injunctions halting the development of the Yggdrasil, Tyrving, and Breidablikk fields.

The appeals court, however, temporarily lifted these injunctions in March, allowing operators Aker BP and Equinor to continue work. A crucial hearing starting on Wednesday will decide whether these injunctions will be permanently removed or reinstated until a final decision on the legality of the field permits is made.

Norway, a significant supplier of oil and Europe's largest gas supplier, fears that further restrictions could severely impact its most profitable industry, leading to billions in lost revenue. The government maintains that it adheres to the Paris climate accords aiming to limit global warming and has set a net-zero emission target for 2050.

Despite the ongoing legal process, Equinor's Breidablikk field began production in October 2023, and Aker BP's Tyrving field followed suit this week, prompting criticism from Greenpeace. Frode Pleym, head of Greenpeace Norway, stressed the necessity of injunctions to halt the fields' development.

(With inputs from agencies.)