COPENHAGEN, January 11 (Itar-Tass) - International environmental organization Greenpeace has strongly criticised the government of Greenland for granting licences for oil exploration and production off the north-eastern coast of the island.
Greenpeace’s press release obtained by Itar-Tass on Friday, says that extreme climatic conditions increase the risk of catastrophes in that region.
One of the three consortiums licensed to explore and produce oil in the North-East of Greenland consists of the British petrochemical corporation BP, Italy’s energy company Eni, Denmark's oil and gas group DONG Energy and Greenland’s national oil company Nunaoil, the document says.
In the event of an oil spill in Greenland's waters Denmark will be responsible for the clean-up operation, it says.
The press release also notes that the protest against oil production and large-scale fishing in the Arctic, initiated by Greenpeace organization in 2012, has already been signed by million people.