The European Commission Wants An End to Oil and Gas Extraction in the Arctic

The European Commission wants an end to the extraction of fossil fuels in the Arctic. She will “apply political pressure” for a ban on new drilling in the Arctic.

Ahead of the climate conference in Glasgow next month, Brussels calls for “leaving oil, coal and gas in the ground”.

The Arctic is changing rapidly, said EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, “because of global warming, increased competition for natural resources and geopolitical rivalry”. The region is therefore of international strategic importance, according to the committee.

Developments show the need for the EU to be “stronger committed” to the Arctic and to “make efforts for stability, security and peaceful cooperation”. The committee is therefore opening a representation in Greenland, which administratively belongs to EU country Denmark.

The Arctic is warming three times as fast as the rest of the Earth. According to the committee, this also has consequences for the European Union.