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ENVIRONMENT

Norway’s parliament greenlights controversial deep-sea mining exploration

Norway's parliament on Tuesday adopted a government plan to open up parts of its seabed to mining exploration, despite protests from activists and scientists' warnings about the uncertain environmental impact.

Pictured is the Norwegian parliament.
Norway's parliament has approved deep-sea mining exploration. Pictured is the Norwegian parliament. Photo by Marco Süssi on Unsplash

The proposal to gradually open up a 280,000-square-kilometre (108,100 square mile) area, mostly in the Arctic, was approved by the Storting, with 80 votes in favour and 20 against.

A small group of protesters had gathered outside the parliament in Oslo, displaying banners reading “Stop deep sea mining” and “Norway protect our oceans”.

“They are opening a very new, vulnerable and enormous area that has been under-explored by scientists,” Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle of Greenpeace Norway told AFP.

Already Western Europe’s largest oil and gas producer, the Scandinavian nation is now set to become one of the first countries to explore the ocean floor for minerals crucial for renewable energy technology, potentially making it a major mineral producer.

At the same time, deep-sea mining is controversial due to its potential impact on vulnerable marine ecosystems.

In early 2023, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate published a report concluding that “substantial resources are in place on the seabed” including minerals such as copper, zinc and cobalt.

The Labour-led coalition minority government then in June proposed allowing mining of the country’s seabed in the Arctic region.

In December it announced that it had reached a deal with opposition parties to secure parliamentary support to move forward.

“We need minerals because we want to lead a green transition in the form of fuel cells and solar panels, of electric cars and mobile phones,” Labour member of parliament Marianne Sivertsen Naess told a press conference at the time.

– Knowledge gaps –

NGOs and scientists have meanwhile warned that deep-sea mining could damage habitats and harm species that are little understood, but are potentially
important to the food chain.

In addition, they point to the risk of disrupting the ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon emitted by human activities, and the noise that could disturb species such as whales.

“We are very worried about what this will mean for both ecosystems in the Arctic. What it will mean for the fisheries of both Norway and other countries, and also Norwegians and Norway’s international reputation as a country that is supposed to take climate and nature seriously,” Tjeldflaat Helle said.

The environmental activist added that they were also worried that Norway “chooses this time to send the signal that they will push forward on deep sea mining when the rest of the world is discussing a moratorium or a precautionary pause on this industry.”

Several countries, including France and the UK, have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.

The Norwegian plan stresses that “environmental considerations” will be taken into account in all stages of the process and “extraction will only be authorised if the licensee’s extraction plan demonstrates that extraction can take place in a sustainable and responsible manner.”

Among others, Norway’s Institute of Marine Research and the Norwegian Polar Institute have warned that there is a severe lack of knowledge necessary to assess what the environmental impact of deep-sea mining would be.

Currently there is no time schedule for when exploration and later potential mining could begin.

In the proposal, the government stressed that “the fact that the state opens an area for mineral extraction does not mean that extraction activities are initiated immediately.”

Instead it means that licensing authorities can began the process of granting licenses, while the state can “continue the mapping of Norwegian seabed minerals.”

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POLITICS

What’s been added to Norway’s revised national budget?

Norway's government has tweaked its revised budget to get support from the Socialist Left Party for a parliamentary majority. From cheaper dental bills to increased child support, here's what you need to know.

What's been added to Norway's revised national budget?

Norway will tap its oil fund for 1.2 billion kroner in extra funding, in addition to the public spending announced when the revised budget for 2024 was unveiled earlier in the spring.

The country’s minority government, comprised of the Labour Party and Centre Party, has turned to the Socialist Left Party to secure a majority for its budgets.
During the negotiations to secure support, new policies are typically put forward by the Socialist Left Party.

The budget was agreed on Monday and will pass through parliament before summer recess.

“It has been crucial for us that the revised national budget should give people throughout Norway a better everyday economy, ensure safety and predictability for people and business,” fiscal spokesperson Ole André Myhrvold from the Center Party said.

Families will see child benefits increased for all children over six. This support will increase 256 kroner a month or 3,072 kroner per year. Once the budget has gone through parliament, payments will be increased from September 1st.

Younger people will also benefit from cheaper dental bills. The cost of dentistry will be heavily subsidised, 75 percent for 25-and-26-year-olds.

More student accommodation would also be built. Student organisations have warned recently that too many pupils at universities have been forced into the private rental market.

The country’s state housing bank would also receive more money, tenants’ rights would be strengthened, and housing support would be increased. The parties have said that a housing package will help get more people onto the property ladder.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about the Norwegian State Housing Bank

Significant investment will be made in offshore wind. The parties have promised to invest at least 35 billion kroner in offshore wind. The money will be used to finance and develop 5-10 TWh of energy. The oil industry will have taxes increased to pay for the investment in wind farms.

Several opposition parties have praised the budget for increasing child support. However, the main opposition party, The Conservative Party, was critical of the use of oil money.

“Despite the fact that the government and Socialist Left Party have turned the revised national budget into a completely new state budget, there are no proposals to give Norway more to live on after oil,” the Conservative’s fiscal policy spokesperson Tina Bru has said.

“The use of oil money is increasing, and taxes are still at a record high level. This is not a budget for the future,” she added.

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