Supreme Court Case Over Oil Drilling Begins in Norway
Environmentalists in Norway are suing to prevent further oil drilling in the country on the grounds of a constitutional violation.
- By Nikki Johnson Bolden
- Nov 13, 2020
Environmental groups brought a case that challenges Norway’s oil exploration in the Arctic ocean before the Norwegian Supreme Court on November 4, according to the New York Times.
Groups such as Greenpeace and Nature and Youth Norway filed a lawsuit that claims the oil exploration violates the Norwegian Constitution’s 2014 environmental provisions. This case marks the first climate-change litigation under those provisions.
Fifteen Supreme Court judges heard the case, which signifies its importance as only the most prominent cases receive this attention.
Norway’s government disputes the environmental groups' claims, stating that it adhered to the constitutions requirements by “compensating for negative effects on the environment in other areas.”