Greta Thunberg writes letter to Norway PM on Arctic drilling

In the letter, which was co-signed by 13 other child activists, Thunberg argues that any new oil and gas drilling in Norway would contravene the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and demands that Norway's government consult with children before moving forward. 

 

"Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Norway has agreed to listen to the voices of children on matters affecting their right to life," the letter reads. 

 

"In compliance with Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, [the] petitioners respectfully request that any Norwegian decision determining the status of the marginal ice zone and any delegation attending COP26  include knowledgeable child activists." 

 

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The letter was drafted by the international law firm Hausfeld, which earlier this month lodged a legal complaint with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, on behalf of Thunberg and 15 other activists. 

 

The complaint was directed at Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Turkey, which the petitioners said were the biggest climate polluters out of the 46 countries that have adopted an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child which allows for such complaints. 

 

According to the complaint, they have promoted fossil fuels and failed to curb greenhouse gas emissions for decades, despite knowing of the risk of climate change. 

 

In the letter, the activists said that the decisions Norway takes over the ice edge and future rounds of oil and gas exploration would show whether it was committed or not to the Paris Agreement. 

 

 

"This is a critical test of whether Norway understands and is committed to its obligation to be on a pathway to limit global warming to no more than 1.5C," the letter read. 

 

"Norway is confronted with the choice of expanding and declaring the marginal ice zone a no-go area for offshore activity, or succumbing to the ill-conceived interests of oil and gas companies."