EU looks to ban oil and gas drilling in the Arctic

The European Union is looking to ban all oil and gas drilling in the Arctic as part of wider plans to implement the European Green Deal and protect areas vulnerable to climate change, according to a bloc proposal released on October 13.

The first step will see a Commission office established in Greenland which will raise the profile of Arctic matters in the EU's external relations, and monitor minerals such as uranium and rare earths, and funding going towards a green transition for the area.

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MEPs consider it important to protect the bloc's interest in the European Arctic region - as well as the area as a whole - including unilateral development from the area, to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The official statement published by MEPs read: "The Commission shall work with partners towards a multilateral legal obligation not to allow any further hydrocarbon reserve development in the Arctic or contiguous regions, nor to purchase such hydrocarbons if they were to be produced."

Environment minister Virginijus Sinkevičius revealed the bloc considers intervention in the area a "geopolitical necessity" as the Commission relayed its Arctic Strategy ahead of the COP26 summit in November, specifying Arctic oil and gas should "stay in the ground".

“The Arctic region is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet," he said. "The melting of ice and thawing of permafrost in the Arctic further accelerate climate change and have huge knock-on effects."

"[We are] committed to making the Arctic safe, stable, sustainable and prosperous, through enhanced international cooperation and by ensuring a strong link between the EU's Arctic engagement and our climate policy, the European Green Deal and its blue economy dimension”, he added.

The European Union is not officially a member of the Arctic Union but should not have too much difficulty forming multilateral agreements due to member states Denmark, Sweden and Finland being associated with the alliance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also revealed to reporters at an energy conference in Moscow that Russia's economy could stand to benefit from the price hikes associated with the drilling bans.

The country is currently one of the Arctic largest drillers and exporters for natural gas and oil.

China has also increased its ambitions in the Arctic in recent years.

Part of the EU's plan in the Arctic is looking into the potential threat of permafrost as ice in the area continues to melt and efforts to prevent drastic climate change in the area.

"More than 70% of Arctic infrastructure and 45% of oil fields" are built on permafrost, according to the EU's strategy. As part of the EU's plans, it will be researching the effects of thawing permafrost over concerns it could lead to large amounts of greenhouse gases like methane and carbon being leaked into the atmosphere.

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Josep Borrel, the EU's High Representative revealed the EU must show its geopolitical interests in the area "for the sake of stability", concerned that the rapid warming would increase competition over natural resources.

“The Arctic is changing rapidly owing to the impact of global warming", he said. 

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