Brussels — The European Parliament rejected a call to ban Arctic oil and gas exploration on Thursday, in a symbolic vote seen as a barometer for future moves by Brussels to regulate to protect the region. Legislators who back the ban, which had drawn the ire of Norway, say the EU needs a strategy for future development in a region being transformed by climate change. Legislators voted 414-180 to reject the nonbinding motion calling for the European Commission and member states to work with international forums towards "a future total ban on the extraction of Arctic oil and gas". The European Parliament did, however, endorse a call to ban oil drilling in the region’s "icy" waters — wording Norway says does not concern its current plans. Norway, which announced plans to nominate a record number of blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Barents Sea, said it only allowed drilling in the Arctic away from the area that was vulnerable to sea ice in winter. The motion to ban exploration ...
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