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European Court Unanimously Backs Norway in Youth Climate Case Over Arctic Oil Licences

Judges found no breach of Article 8 in Norway’s handling of climate impacts tied to the 2016 licensing.

Overview

  • The Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights said the ruling was unanimous and that there had been no violation.
  • The case was filed in 2022 by six young Norwegians with Greenpeace and Young Friends of the Earth over 10 Barents Sea exploration licences issued in 2016.
  • The court acknowledged early shortcomings in Norway’s impact assessment process but deemed them remedied and not infringing the right to private and family life.
  • All of the licences were later returned after no exploitable reserves were found, according to AFP.
  • Norway, western Europe’s largest oil and gas producer, welcomed the outcome, with the energy minister calling it positive.