The Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) has applied for permission to release 5.4 tonnes of pure carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Norwegian Sea, as part of research into ocean sequestration of CO2 as measures to combat climate change.

The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) issued a permit on 5 July to NIVA to launch the experiment, with the justification that the release is limited in scope and cannot be expected to cause significant damage or harm. The decision was appealed by Greenpeace-Nordic and WWF-Norway. The Ministry of the Environment has chosen to accept the appeal, and has cancelled the permit given.

Must Be Discussed Internationally

In considering the appeal, the Ministry has emphasised that such releases of CO2 as would be studied by this research project have not been given thorough consideration in relevant international marine environmental conventions. In the opinion of the Ministry of the Environment the use of deep marine areas as possible future storage places for CO2 should first be thoroughly discussed internationally and the legal implications clarified.

The question as to whether the injection of CO2 is affected by the OSPAR Convention's dumping prohibition was introduced at the most recent Commission meeting under the Convention in June this year, against the background the proposed project in the Norwegian Sea. The meeting did not reach any final conclusions on this issue, but there is no doubt that the project is controversial and has been met with scepticism, both in relation to possible negative effects and because there is a reluctance to reopen the sea as a dumping place for waste. The legal working group under the Convention was asked by the meeting to undertake a detailed evaluation of different aspects related to possible release of CO2 in the seas. This evaluation is expected to be completed before the next meeting of the Commission which will take place in June 2003. The Ministry of the Environment will under no circumstances open up for CO2 release in the sea until this evaluation has been completed.

Ocean sequestration of CO2 as a possible future measure to combat climate change has only been given very limited consideration under the Climate Change Convention. In the coming discussion on this issue, the possibilities of leakages to the atmosphere will be a central topic. The Ministry of the Environment states in its decision that an international discussion of the issue is desirable and necessary, and has also based its decision on the fact that the experiment will not significantly increase understanding of possibilities for future leakages of CO2 to the atmosphere.