Greta Thunberg and 200 activists block Norway's main refinery

A happening against extraction. On land and water, Extinction Rebellion activists, accompanied by climate activist Greta Thunberg, blocked access to the Mongstad refinery in Bergen, on Norway's southwest coast, on Monday, August 18. According to them, oil producers like Norway "have blood on their hands . " "We are here because it is perfectly clear that there is no future in oil. Fossil fuels lead to death and destruction," the Swedish activist said in a statement.

Police said they have been on site since 9 a.m. local time and are monitoring the situation. The approximately 200 activists, for their part, announced that they plan to continue their protests throughout the week in Norway with a series of demonstrations.

The Mongstad refinery is owned by the Norwegian state-owned oil giant Equinor. Activists are calling on Norwegian leaders to come up with an "oil and gas exit plan." Norway is regularly criticized for its commitment to oil and gas extraction, the largest producer in Europe, and the combustion of which fuels global warming through greenhouse gas emissions.

Oslo points out that this sector is a source of jobs and expertise and underlines the importance of ensuring a stable supply of energy in Europe, particularly since the start of the war in Ukraine, which led the European Union to end imports of Russian gas by 2027. Equinor has announced that it plans to maintain stable oil production at 1.2 million barrels per day and gas production of 40 billion cubic meters per year by 2035.