Greenpeace Nordic and Nature og Ungdom originally brought the case, arguing that the Ministry of Energy failed to account for Scope 3 emissions—the pollution caused when customers burn the extracted fuel. While the court of appeal previously ruled against the government, it granted a temporary reprieve allowing existing production at Breidablikk and Yggdrasil to continue while the state addressed procedural gaps in its environmental assessments.

The Attorney General contends that recent supplemental evaluations now meet all regulatory requirements for climate impact analysis. As the four-day hearing proceeds through August 27, the outcome carries significant weight for Norway’s economy. The energy sector remains the primary engine for the nation’s $2.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund, and officials are pushing to maintain stability in a region vital to both domestic employment and global energy supplies. A final decision from the Supreme Court is expected later this year.