So-called climate activists in four European countries are blockading access to North Sea oil infrastructure as part of a coordinated Europe-wide civil disobedience protest. In protest against the continued exploitation of North Sea fossil fuel deposits, the blockades are taking place at oil and gas terminals, oil refineries and ports in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
Further actions are expected in Denmark, while in Scotland the so-called activists called for an end to oil and gas extraction in the North Sea.
The protests took place in a week in which a published report found that none of the region's major fossil fuel extracting and producing countries plans to end oil production soon enough to meet the global warming target set out in the Paris climate agreements.
"As part of the 'Fossil Free North Sea' campaign, acts of civil disobedience are taking place right across the North Sea coastal region," said representatives of the organisation Extinction Rebellion.
"The governments of six countries are permitting the construction of new fossil fuel extraction infrastructure, damaging not only the North Sea ecosystem but also exposing the entire world to dangerous warming. Activists have joined forces in a series of activities running throughout the day to demand that the North Sea oil producing countries immediately align their drilling plans with the Paris agreement."