The European Union will push for a “moratorium” on fossil fuel extraction in the Arctic, said EU Commissioner for Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius on Wednesday 13 October.
“We are calling for oil, gas and coal to remain in the ground (...) in the Arctic and we’ll seek an international agreement on a moratorium”, Sinkevičius said, presenting the revised EU strategy for the northern part of the world. To achieve this, he said the EU should “lead by example”, including by changing its energy mix. And if the introduction of a moratorium is not possible, extraction will have to be carried out in accordance with strict environmental standards.
The EU currently imports 87% of the LNG produced in the Russian Arctic, according to a communication adopted by the European Commission on Wednesday.
In the Arctic, global warming is three times faster than elsewhere, causing forest fires, melting ice, and thawing permafrost. The European Commission intends to increase research into the effects of thawing permafrost, which could endanger oil fields and release greenhouse gases and dangerous germs.
New geopolitical situation. For the EU institution, Europeans must become more diplomatically involved in the Arctic region, which is attracting the interest of major powers. An EU delegation will be established in Greenland to increase its presence there.
With ice-free summers in the Arctic predicted before 2050, the region could become a shipping zone, reducing trade distances and therefore costs.
“We will lead the drive for Zero Emission and Zero Pollution shipping in the Arctic Ocean”, the Commissioner promised.
According to experts, these new shipping routes are a long-term prospect rather than a reality. They are most highly coveted by the Russians and the Chinese, while the Europeans point to the risks associated with extreme weather conditions and the lack of infrastructure for the safe transport of goods.
Protecting the Arctic does not mean making it a sanctuary, but rather promoting sustainable socioeconomic development that respects local populations, with the European Green Deal as a central element. The Interreg cross-border cooperation and InvestEU investment programmes can be mobilised for this purpose. The same goes for the space programme and the Connecting Europe Facility to improve digital connections.
Finally, European funding opportunities could be made more visible through the creation of an online one-stop-shop for stakeholders.
See the European Commission’s communication: https://bit.ly/3aws4G7 (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)