Norway's Appeal on Oilfields Rejected, But Current Production Remains Unchanged

Court Ruling on Oilfield Permits: A Norwegian appeals court declared three offshore oilfield development permits invalid due to insufficient environmental assessments, particularly regarding Scope 3 emissions, but allowed production to continue for six months while the government addresses the issues.

Environmental Concerns: The lawsuit, initiated by Greenpeace Norway and Young Friends of the Earth, highlighted the government's failure to evaluate the climate impacts of combustion emissions from the oil and gas extracted from the fields.

Impact on Production: Despite the invalidation of the permits, the court emphasized the importance of maintaining stable oil and gas supplies to Europe, especially in light of the ongoing energy crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Future Legal Actions: The attorney general's office indicated that the ruling might be appealed to the Supreme Court, while Greenpeace expressed satisfaction with the court's decision, noting that ongoing activities at the fields are at the companies' own risk.