The European Parliament has called for prohibiting oil drilling in EU Arctic waters, RIA Novosti reports, citing a press release published on the European Parliament's website. EU lawmakers passed a resolution on the issue at a plenary session on March 16.

"Climate change is resulting in new environmental and security challenges in the Arctic, as the melting ice cap opens new navigation and fishing routes, while competition for its natural resources heats up," the statement says.

MEPs urged measures to "protect the vulnerable Arctic ecosystem and ban oil drilling."    

This would be a ban on oil drilling "in the icy Arctic waters of the EU and the European Economic Area," the report said.