Climate activists in four countries are blocking access to North Sea oil infrastructure as part of a coordinated pan-European civil disobedience protest.
Blockades have been taking place at oil and gas terminals, refineries and ports in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, in protest at the continued exploitation of North Sea fossil fuel deposits.
Further actions were expected in Denmark, while in Scotland activists staged banner drops calling for an end to the exploitation of North Sea oil and gas.
In Norway, dozens of activists blocked the road entrance to the petroleum refinery in Rafnes, on the country’s south-east coast. Others were braving snowy conditions to block tankers from docking at the facility.
In the Netherlands, Extinction Rebellion and Scientist Rebellion were blocking the main access roads to Pernis refinery, the largest refinery in Europe, owned by Shell, which plans to increase and expand its North Sea oil and gas production.
In Germany, activists in white overalls from the Ende Gelände climate protest group blocked access to the floating liquified natural gas terminal at Brunsbüttel; and in Sweden XR activists were blocking the oil harbour in Gothenburg.
In Scotland, local XR groups staged a series of banner drops at locations they described as of “strategic importance” to plans to expand oil and gas production. The UK government has handed out dozens of new licences for oil and gas exploitation off Scotland’s north-east coast since late last year.