Today’s news / Norway

Norway

On Tuesday afternoon, a majority in the Norwegian Parliament gave the green light to search for and extract rare minerals on the deep seabed. The mining will take place in the Arctic Ocean between Norway and Greenland, according to the Norwegian news agency NTB. According to the Norwegian government, the demand for minerals that can be found on the seabed in Norwegian waters is increasing. At the same time, the government believes that it is important for Norway to become more self-sufficient at a time of great international tension. Critics, on the other hand, point out that mining on the deep-sea bed could have disastrous consequences for animal and plant life.
     The parties that are opposed to the proposal write in a comment on the bill that the Norwegian state lacks knowledge about the environmental conditions in 99 percent of the marine areas that are current for mining, writes NTB. The new mining operation on the deep sea-bed between Norway and Greenland includes various minerals, but not oil or gas. /ritzau/