Norway’s largest oil and gas producer, which is also a frequent target of climate activists, has been cleared by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) of any wrongdoing over awarding Arctic oil and gas exploration licenses in 2016. The court found that Norwegian authorities did not breach their human rights obligations when issuing the licenses, despite some “shortcomings” in the environmental impact assessment decision-making process.
The ECHR noted that the initial shortcomings were remedied within enough time not to affect the right to respect for private and family life, as guaranteed by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Norway’s Energy Minister, Terje Aasland, welcomed the ruling, stating that the court found that the country was not breaching human rights.
The decision comes after Norwegian activists and environmental NGOs Greenpeace and Young Friends of the Earth appealed to national courts in France’s Strasbourg, arguing that the attribution of the licenses was contrary to articles in the constitution guaranteeing the right to a healthy environment. However, the ECHR ruled that there was no indication that deferring an environmental impact assessment had breached the rights convention.
The ruling is a blow to climate activists, who had hoped for a more decisive outcome. Last year, the ECHR issued a historic first ruling condemning Switzerland for its lack of action on climate change, but Norway’s case marks a similar failure to hold the country accountable.
Source: https://www.barrons.com/news/european-court-clears-norway-of-climate-misconduct-over-oil-licences-04c01a1b