Northern Norway braces for protests

Environmentalists in Norway are outraged about plans for a new offshore gas field in northern Norway. Oil companies and the Norwegian government want to develop the so-called “Snow White” (Snohvit) field off the coast.

Many local residents welcome this development, believing it will provide a badly needed economic boost to the area, especially the city of Hammerfest, located at about the same latitude as Arctic Bay/Nanisivik in Nunavut.

However, environmentalists fear the project would clear the way for more drilling in the Barents Sea, which in turn could lead to pollution and threaten fishing stocks.

To stop the offshore oil project from going ahead, environmental groups say they’ll organize the largest demonstrations in Norway since those against the hydro-electric development of Alta in 1979.