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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/26/climate-hero-villain-fossil-fuel-frenzy-challenges-norway-green-image>
"The average Norwegian, better known for loving nature than destroying the
planet, is more likely than anyone else to drive to work in an electric car and
warm their home with a heat pump. When they turn on the kettle in the morning
or charge their phone at night, Norwegians plug into an electricity grid that
runs almost entirely on renewables. Their politicians write cheques to save
trees in tropical forests and politely pressure other countries to protect the
environment, too.
But on one metric, Norway’s leafy green image darkens to an oily black.
Citizens of the rich Nordic nation dig up more petroleum per person than
Russians, Iranians, North Americans and Saudi Arabians.
“Norway claims to be a climate leader, but in reality it is a climate
hypocrite,” said Frode Pleym, the head of the Norwegian branch of campaign
group Greenpeace. “If Norway were an advertising agency, they would indeed be
deemed to be very successful.”
Famed for its fabulous fjords and fairytale forests, Europe’s northernmost
country is the closest the world has to what could be called a green
petrostate. Its 5.5 million inhabitants are adopting clean technologies faster
than anyone else – while its political and industry leaders drill furiously for
fossil fuels to sell to Europe. It is a paradox that has led some to paint
Norway as a climate hero and others to decry it as a carbon villain.
But whether the country deserves either title depends on a deeper issue that
has divided people fighting to stop the planet from heating: how much does the
supply of fossil fuels matter in a world where people keep demanding more of
them?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
