Submission to the EU Arctic Policy Consultation

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) urges the European Union to maintain its moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction and phase out imports from north of the Arctic Circle. The submission argues that Arctic oil and gas are too expensive (USD 75/barrel) and slow to develop (13+ years) to provide energy security, while posing severe ecological risks and increasing geopolitical vulnerability, particularly in the Barents Sea shared with Russia. IISD notes that this position aligns the EU with Canada and Greenland, who have implemented similar bans or moratoriums.

• The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) recommends that the European Union (EU) maintain its commitment to a moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction in its next Arctic policy and establish a specific timeline to phase out fossil fuel imports from north of the Arctic Circle, including the Barents and northern Norwegian seas.
• Arctic fossil fuels are presented as an unaffordable and insecure energy choice for Europe. Production costs are approximately USD 75 per barrel, significantly higher than the USD 48.5 for conventional oil. Additionally, the time from discovery to production on the Norwegian shelf averages 13 years, a period likely to be longer in the Barents Sea due to limited infrastructure and severe weather.
• Expanding oil and gas in the Arctic poses significant ecological and security risks. Environmental threats include oil spills, leakages, and underwater noise from seismic surveys and shipping, which are harder to manage due to prevailing weather conditions. Geopolitically, reliance on imports from the Barents Sea—shared by Norway and Russia—increases the EU's exposure to security risks.
• The EU's commitment to a moratorium aligns with actions taken by other Arctic partners. Canada and its Indigenous Nations introduced a moratorium on Arctic offshore oil and gas licensing in 2019 (extended in 2023), and Greenland enacted a ban on oil and gas exploration in 2021.

APA

Jones, N., & Yanguas, P. (2026). Submission to the EU Arctic Policy Consultation. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/submission-eu-arctic-policy.pdf

Chicago

Jones, Natalie, and Paola Yanguas. Submission to the EU Arctic Policy Consultation. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/submission-eu-arctic-policy.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Jones |first1=Natalie |last2=Yanguas |first2=Paola |title=Submission to the EU Arctic Policy Consultation |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/submission-eu-arctic-policy.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{jones2026submission, author = {Jones, Natalie and Yanguas, Paola}, title = {{Submission to the EU Arctic Policy Consultation}}, publisher = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-03/submission-eu-arctic-policy.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }