Greenpeace actively protests against oil production in this region. In the autumn of 2013, 28 activists and crew members, as well as two journalists, were detained in Russia for 100 days, after a peaceful protest against drilling for oil in the Arctic by the energy giant Gazprom.
“It is high time EU foreign affairs ministers became conscious and spoke openly for protection of the Arctic. Companies like Shell, Statoil, Exxon, and Gazprom keep on their blind run towards the northern territories. But the call to protect the Arctic gains wider support. The governments should react before it gets too late,” says Jorin den Blanken from Greenpeace.
The exceedingly inadequate plan for dealing with oil spills, as well as the inability to clean such spills in the icy conditions of the Arctic, make oil production in the region a dangerous venture.
The proposal for creating a protected zone around the North Pole is supported also by five million people all around the world ( www.savethearctic.org ).
The global concern about the Arctic intensified more in September 2013, when Finland declared its position for establishment of sea reserve in the waters around the North Pole.
The proposal for a moratorium on fishing was initiated by the USA, and is already supported by Denmark, Greenland and Canada.
Greenpeace hails European Parliament resolution for protection of the Arctic
