Brussels to keep ban on Arctic oil and gas drilling despite Norwegian pressure

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The European Commission plans to retain its moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic in its revised Arctic strategy, despite pressure from Norway to reconsider the policy
• The strategy is expected on 20 October, and the moratorium is likely to remain a non-binding political commitment

🔭 The context: Norway argues continued Barents Sea exploration supports European energy security and says it will continue drilling regardless of the EU position
• Norway is the EU’s largest natural-gas supplier, accounting for 31% of EU gas imports in 2025
• The Commission says the bloc currently faces no immediate gas-supply security risk and is pursuing greater diversification and reduced fossil-fuel demand

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Keeping new Arctic fossil-fuel development off the EU’s policy agenda limits support for additional oil and gas extraction in one of the world’s most climate-sensitive regions
• The climate impact ultimately depends on whether the policy contributes to lower fossil-fuel production and consumption, alongside faster deployment of clean energy

⏭️ What’s next: The Commission is expected to publish the revised Arctic strategy on 20 October
• The debate will continue to balance climate objectives, energy security and the Arctic’s growing strategic importance, including competition over infrastructure and resources

💬 One quote: “Moving forward, our approach on the moratorium will remain unchanged.” — European Commission spokesperson

📈 One stat: Norway holds 31% of share of EU natural-gas imports in 2025, making it the bloc’s largest gas supplier

Subscribe to our free newsletters to never miss a beat in sustainability.

The world needs sustainability knowledge. At illuminem, no interest group or shareholder can influence our work. Thank you for supporting our mission to make high-quality and independent sustainability information free for all. Every contribution helps. Thank you for donating today