55% of adults in the country want oil exploration to continue, according to a poll conducted this weekend. This is an important signal for the authorities, since parliamentary elections will be held in the country in September, and the debate around oil will once again become one of the hottest topics.

It is worth noting that the background for these events will be the recently published report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It follows from the document that the planet is warming up much faster than expected, and that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the only way to avoid a climate catastrophe.

Norway's conservative government believes that the country should explore new fields as long as oil production is profitable. Norway acknowledges that the IPCC report “confirms the magnitude of climate change,” but at the same time, the country recalls its investments in green energy, which are aimed at reducing CO2 emissions.

On the one hand, Oslo insists that oil will be needed in the future, and on the other hand, it reassures the public with statements that the rise in the cost of quotas for greenhouse gas emissions will soon make oil exploration and production unprofitable.

Most polls show that Prime Minister Erna Solberg's conservative coalition is unlikely to win an election after eight years in power. However, the clear pro-oil position of the majority of the Norwegian population will become a serious obstacle for the new government if it tries to limit production.