The Arctic ice melt: A wake up call, certainly not a business opportunity!

This Tuesday, MEPs on the energy committee are set to vote on draft EU legislation on offshore exploration. Currently, offshore oil and gas activities are not covered by a specific European regulatory framework but a broader EU acquis applies to the offshore sector.

 

Lots of leaks and accidents have already demonstrated the dangers of offshore oil and gas exploration. The Greens therefore ask that the highest safety and standards are uniformly applied, full liability of operators for any environmental or other damage through mandatory financial security as well as a ban on any activities in all environmentally, touristically or geologically sensitive areas, including in the Arctic. Any oil spill in the Arctic would have devastating effects on an already fragile and vulnerable area.

 

Since this summer, the unprecedented Arctic melt is gaining more attention from the media and the public thanks to the great effort of a huge number of experts, who are now trying to get the attention of politicians across the globe. Oil spills have disastrous consequences that clearly extend beyond national borders. In the Arctic - one of the last virgin frontiers for oil exploration in the world - the call for specific caution and protection carry an even more important meaning: Politicians in Europe and beyond must listen to the experts, their citizens and also to the local communities who are witnessing the rapid changes on a daily basis, and whose daily life and food supply are more and more endangered by the effects of a fast changing local environment.

 

The EU - which claims to be the leader in the fight climate change - has three (and with Iceland, potentially four) Arctic Council states amongst its members. The climatic changes in the Arctic will thus have a direct and major impact on coastal regions in Europe and on its climate-dependent sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, renewable energy, tourism and transport. The EU therefore has the responsibility to send the right message to the rest of the world to encourage its other Arctic partners to jointly safeguard this very fragile region.

 

Because tacking the melting of the Arctic is simply tackling climate change itself, protecting the Arctic is of extreme importance and concerns us all. Experts` warnings must be taken seriously by Europe and all politicians across the globe, who must urgently spur new policies to curb fossil fuels and encourage the development of renewable energy sources.

 

The Arctic melt is a serious wake up call for more and faster action to protect our climate and not as a new Eldorado for developing dirty businesses, which are - very ironically! - the reason why global warming is intensifying and thus the Arctic sea ice melting. Increasing possibility of Arctic transport and access to Arctic offshore oil and gas resources will certainly not help...