The Lofoten Islands in Norway are considered a national natural wonder. Credit: David Wilkinson
In a move that has surprised and dismayed many in the oil industry, Norway's largest party has withdrawn support for exploratory drilling off the coast of the Lofoten islands inside the Arctic circle.
The opposition Labour Party - Arbeiderpartiet - decision has now created a parliamentary majority against oil exploration in the area, which is considered a national natural wonder. The decision exposes changing attitudes in the Nordic country and illustrates a growing opposition to the fossil fuel that made the nation wealthy.
The move has been compared to that of the Labour-led coalition in New Zealand that has banned future oil and gas exploration.
At present, offshore operations in Norway produces around 1.6 million barrels of oil every day. The state-owned oil company Equinor ASA has said that access to the oil in Lofoten is necessary to maintain production levels.
It has been estimated that there are between 1 and 3 billion barrels of oil beneath the Lofoten seabed.
The head of the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, Karl Eirik Schjott-Pedersen, criticised the move saying: "The whole industry is surprised and disappointed.":
He added: “It does not provide the predictability we depend on.”
The fact that keeping Lofoten off-limits has a strong parliamentary majority has worried players in the Norwegian oil industry that there could be further reining in of the sector, which has fewer political friends, a more critical public and is facing legal challenges by environmental groups.
Environmental campaigners have hailed the decision as a landmark moment. Co-founder of SeaLegacy, an ocean conservation group, said the move was a "beacon to the world that change is upon us".
"It takes courage and vision to stand up for systemic change," he added. "The permanent protection from oil drilling and exploration in Lofoten in Northern Norway should serve as an example for the rest of the world."
Last week it was announced that the country would invest over $20-billion in unlisted renewable energy infrastructure as part of a move away from fossil fuels.
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