In a major policy shift during the weekend, Norway’s Labor Party—a long-time ally of the oil industry and the biggest party that is currently in opposition—said it would no longer support opening up the Lofoten archipelago to oil drilling, taking Norway a step closer to a permanent drilling ban in the area. The scenic Lofoten archipelago is currently off limits for oil drilling thanks to years of political compromises. The ruling Conservative Party, as well as Labor until very recently, supported in principle the launch of feasibility studies for potential development, but didn’t have the support from their junior partners when in power. Now with the Labor Party withdrawing its support to potential oil development, the Lofoten area will likely remain off-limits for oil exploration, as the biggest party joins the smaller parties in Norway’s Parliament who don’t want to risk damaging the pristine archipelago either. Environmentalists and smaller […]