Norway Court Invalidates Three Oil Field Approvals

Norway’s Supreme Court ruled that approvals for the Tyrving, Breidablikk and Yggdrasil North Sea oil and gas projects are invalid because environmental reviews did not adequately assess emissions from burning the extracted fuels. The court said combustion emissions must be evaluated before approval and, in a 6-5 decision, required them to be considered alongside emissions from other existing and approved projects on the Norwegian continental shelf. The Energy Ministry must reconsider the approvals, but the ruling does not automatically revoke the companies’ permits or require operations to stop. The case, brought by Greenpeace and Young Friends of the Earth Norway, could influence climate assessments for other petroleum projects in Norway and beyond.