Norwegians join push to ban oil exploration from fragile Arctic coasts

Oslo, Norway - Norwegian communities and conservationists today launched a campaign to ban oil exploration and development from parts of their Arctic coast, linking up with WWF-supported campaigns already underway in Alaska and Russia to protect vulnerable fisheries and communities.

The campaigns are supported by studies showing oil returns would be less than those provided in the long term through the protection and sustainable exploitation of resources.

“It is complete madness to trade in a sustainable fishery that could continue to accommodate the interests of both people and nature for generations, for a few years of quick and dirty profits from oil,” said Rasmus Hanssen, Secretary General of WWF Norway.

“In Norway, the Lofoten and Vesteralen areas have almost unparalleled natural values: unique cold water reefs; pods of sperm whales and killer whales; some of the largest seabird colonies in Europe, and the spawning grounds of the largest remaining cod stock in the world. We cannot and should not afford to risk these.

“The Norwegian government must declare these areas off limits to oil and gas.”

In Alaska, WWF is part of a coalition of local people and organizations opposing oil and gas exploration and development in Bristol Bay. Oil and gas drilling there would bring in an estimated $7.7 billion over the 25-40 years that it would take to suck dry the petroleum reserves. In contrast, the area’s fishing industry brings in $2.2 billion per year, a total of $50-80 billion over the same time period.

In Kamchatka, WWF is working with a similar coalition, where it is asking the Russian government to suspend oil exploration and development on the west Kamchatka shelf until Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs) have been designated for the most important areas. Almost a quarter of Russian fish and other marine resources come from west Kamchatka.

“It’s the same story across the Arctic,” says Neil Hamilton, Director of the WWF International Arctic Programme. “Governments are being pushed to drill in places that have a far higher to local people and to the world if they are simply left alone. WWF has called for a moratorium on further offshore oil development across the Arctic, until oil and gas companies can demonstrate they have the ability to clean up major oil spills in ice covered waters. We would like to see that respected, however, there is a particularly urgency to protect some highly valued and productive places.”