BRUSSELS — Environmental nongovernment organization WWF-Norway is suing Norway over its plan to explore and potentially mine deep-sea minerals, escalating a long-running feud that has put Oslo at odds with climate activists and its European neighbors.
In its suit, the NGO argues that the Norwegian government failed to do the due diligence to ensure its deep-sea exploration plan would have minimal repercussions on the marine ecosystem.
“We believe the government is violating Norwegian law by now opening up for a new and potentially destructive industry without adequately assessing the consequences,” said Karoline Andaur, CEO of WWF-Norway. “It will set a dangerous precedent if we allow the government to ignore its own rules, override all environmental advice, and manage our common natural resources blindly,” she argued.
The Norwegian scheme — which easily passed through parliament in January — would open up more than 280,000 square kilometers of Arctic Ocean seabed to mining exploration. But mining is not expected to start before 2030, according to experts, and Norwegian lawmakers will have the final say on any mining licenses, meaning they could still nix the harvesting of metals and minerals from the seabed.