Oil Production, Climate Change and Species Decline: The Case of Norway

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the inconsistency of Norwegian policies which produce severe damage to the environment and to the climate, and on the other hand on attempts to modify the damage through projects which are also critique worthy. Norway is one important contributor to climate change through its oil production, ranking Norway as number 17 of the most oil-producing countries in the world. To further add to its responsibility for carbon emissions and global warming, the Norwegian State pension which is financed by the oil production also has investments in corporations which are criticised and prosecuted for pollution and deforestation through oil production and for abuse against indigenous groups. To compensate for its carbon emissions, Norway has dedicated part of its State pension fund—three Billion NOK—to invest in rain forest in Brazil and Indonesia to prevent deforestation. On a local level, climate change is apparent in the Norwegian mountains where the polar fox species which feed on lemmings which again depend on snow for their survival has been brought near to extinction. To prevent the disappearance of the species, a programme to save the polar fox was initiated through which polar fox cubs are bred and released in the mountains. Except in 2011, which was a snowful year in Norway, the mortality rate has been huge and animals have suffered from starvation. This raises discussion about individual rights versus species rights and justice, and the moral right to individually abuse individuals to secure species survival. This discussion is further seen in perspective of the treatment of polar foxes which were “contaminated” with the wrong genes and consequently killed.