Press release

Date: 19.06.03

Norway establishes permanent station in Antarctica

The Minister of the Environment of Norway, Mr. Børge Brende, has decided to upgrade the Norwegian summer station Troll in Dronning Maud Land to a permanent research station. The construction will be finished in 2005. The Norwegian Polar Institute, which has the responsibility for the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expeditions, will manage the upgraded station.

- Antarctica is the least spoiled wilderness in the world. I will emphasize Norway's commitment in protecting this untouched continent for generations to come. Norway has played a very active role in the development and implementation of the environmental regulations in Antarctica, and has led the initial work under the Committee of Environmental Protection. Through a continuous presence at Troll, we will get an even stronger platform for our environmental and research collaboration under the Antarctic Treaty, says the Minister of the Environment. He specially points out the fact that in the field of climate change, Antarctica is our most important natural laboratory for scientific research.

An upgraded Troll station will further strengthen Norway's position as a polar nation. The present construction of a runway for wheeled aircraft at Troll will also make the Norwegian station more suitable as a communication basis for scientific operations.

Contact: Senior Adviser Tore Ising, tel: 22 24 59 96, 913 31 728

Read more about Norway in Antarctica at the Norwegian Polar Institute

Foto: Lars Karlöf/Norsk polarinstitutt. Den norske forskningsstasjonen Troll, Dronning Mauds land