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Oslo, Norway - Six young climate activists, along with two major environmental organizations from Norway, are filing a historic motion to bring the problem of oil drilling in the Arctic to the European Court of Human Rights. Environmentalists argue that Norway is violating basic human rights by allowing new oil wells in the midst of a climate crisis.
“For us nature-loving people, the effects of climate change are already dramatic. The forests in my home region in northern Norway support a rich ecosystem that humans have long been dependent on. Now they are slowly dying as the shorter and milder winters allow invasive species to thrive. We must act now to limit irreversible damage to our climate and our ecosystems in order to secure the livelihoods of future generations, ”said Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen, one of the young activists.
In 2016, the Norwegian government opened up new areas for oil drilling, further north in the Barents Sea than ever before. The six activists, along with Greenpeace Nordic and Young Friends of the Earth Norway, hope that the European Court of Human Rights will hear their case and find that Norway's oil expansion violates human rights.
In their lawsuit, "The People vs. Arctic Oil," filed today with the European Court of Justice, the activists argue that the law is clear:
“Authorizing new oil wells in vulnerable areas of the Barents Sea is a violation of Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which give me the right to be protected from decisions that endanger my life and well-being. As a young person from the Maritime Sami culture, I fear the effects of climate change on the way of life of my people. Sami culture is closely related to the use of nature, and fishing is essential. It would be impossible for our culture to continue without the traditional harvest of the oceans. A threat to our oceans is a threat to our people, ”said Lasse Eriksen Bjørn, one of the activists.
For several decades, scientists have raised concerns that greenhouse gas emissions are changing the earth's climate and wreaking havoc on nature and society. Even the guiding star of the fossil fuel industry, the International Energy Agency (IEA), says there is no room for new oil and gas projects if we want to limit the temperature rise to 1,5 degrees Celsius under the Paris Agreement.
“Climate change and the inaction of our government take away my belief in the future. Optimism and hope is all we have, but it is slowly being withdrawn from me. For this reason, like many other young people, I have experienced periods of depression. I often had to leave the classroom when topics related to climate change were being discussed because I couldn't stand it. It seemed so hopeless to learn the importance of turning off the lights when the world burns. But our complaint to the European Court of Human Rights is for me the expression of action and hope in the face of this crisis, ”said Mia Chamberlain, one of the activists.
Concerned citizens around the world are taking legal action against climate change and are calling on the fossil fuel industry and nation states to take responsibility for the looming climate crisis. The latest legal victories against the fossil giant Shell in the Netherlands and against the state in Germany and Australia are hopeful - they show that change is indeed possible.
The Norwegian government is facing serious problems Criticism from the UN and faced massive protests for its exploration for more oil. The country recently took its place on the United Nations Human Development Ranking due to its large carbon footprint from the oil industry, which threatens people's quality of life.
“The Norwegian state is playing with my future when it opens up new areas for climate-damaging oil drilling. This is yet another case of a greedy and oil thirsty state that leaves the harmful effects of global warming to future decision-makers, today's youth. The alarm bell has rung. There is not a minute to lose. I can't sit still and watch my future get ruined. We have to act today and reduce emissions, ”said Gina Gylver, another climate activist.
After three rounds of the Norwegian legal system, national courts found that the Norwegian state has not violated Article 112 of the Norwegian Constitution, which states that everyone has a right to a healthy environment and that the state must take action to achieve that right to back up. The young activists and environmental organizations argue that this judgment was flawed because it neglected the importance of their fundamental environmental rights and did not take into account an accurate assessment of the consequences of climate change for future generations. They now hope that the European Court of Justice will find that Norway's oil expansion is against human rights.
The applicants are: Ingrid Skjoldvær (27), Gaute Eiterjord (25), Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen (23), Mia Cathryn Chamberlain (22), Lasse Eriksen Bjørn (24), Gina Gylver (20), Young Friends of the Earth Norway , and Greenpeace Nordic.
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Photos: Greenpeace
