Why does IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol urge the EU to reconsider its Arctic drilling moratorium?

Fatih Birol urged the EU to reconsider its Arctic drilling moratorium because he believes it is 'extremely important for the European energy security' and stated, 'The world needs every drop of oil from Norway.' He made this appeal during a meeting with Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, emphasizing the strategic importance of Norwegian oil and gas in bolstering Europe's energy supply amid geopolitical instability, including fallout from the Iran war.

What is Norway's official position on the EU's Arctic drilling moratorium, and how does it balance environmental concerns?

Norway, though not an EU member, is actively pressing the EU to end its 2021-imposed moratorium on new Arctic oil and gas drilling. Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg reiterated Norway's position that 'to say no, there should be no oil and gas exploration in the Arctic doesn't make sense for Norway,' while acknowledging environmental concerns by stating, 'Of course there are environmental concerns that we have to take into account.' This reflects Norway’s stance of supporting continued Arctic hydrocarbon development alongside environmental responsibility.