ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes how certain Arctic states engage with public participation in the negotiation and implementation of host government contracts within the oil and gas industry. It provides an overview of public participation in general and analyses in detail the special conditions and challenges of operations in the Arctic. The extensive extraction of hydrocarbons has caused a significant decrease in conventional reserves within easily accessible areas. The chapter also analyses public participation in host state contracts in two Arctic countries, namely Norway and Canada. Both countries possess a developed petroleum regime and have expressed active interest in exploring the resources of the Arctic; they also have extensive legal provisions regarding public participation. The environmental groups sued the government but the district court of Oslo dismissed the case in early 2018. The analysis of host government contracts of Norway and Canada within the oil and gas sector demonstrates various main points.
