Norway’s state-owned coal company announced on Friday that it will prolong output at its last mine in the Arctic Svalbard island by two years until mid-2025 to assist assure supply to European steelmakers during the war.
The decision reverses a plan to close the mine next year, when the nearby coal-fired power station is scheduled to close as the islands transition to cleaner fuel.
‘There is war and major uncertainty about access to essential raw resources, notably for Europe’s steel production, on which we also rely,’ said Norwegian Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre in a statement.
‘Norway must accept its share of the responsibility for commodity supply security,’ he said.
On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine in what it dubbed a ‘special operation’ to demilitarise and ‘denazify’ its neighbour.
While Store Norske Spitsbergen Kullkompani (SNSK) has closed its major mines on the islands during the last two decades, it has kept Mine 7 open to produce approximately 125,000 tonnes per year to feed the local plant and ensure some exports.
For many years, environmentalists have advocated for an end to Norway’s coal exploitation.
The Arctic islands are warming faster than nearly anyplace else on Earth, emphasising the hazards of climate change to delicate ecosystems, and Norway intends to reduce overall emissions while remaining a significant oil and gas producer.
Svalbard, located approximately 700 kilometres (435 miles) north of the European mainland, is controlled by a 1920 treaty that grants Norway sovereignty while enabling all nations signing it to do business and exploit its natural resources.
Post Your Comments