Norway's government explores crypto mining ban amid energy supply concerns
The government of Norway is considering a temporary ban on crypto mining in the country in an effort to 'free up power, network capacity and area for other purposes.'
In a Friday notice, the Norwegian government said it would be conducting an investigation in autumn that could result in a temporary ban on crypto mining data centers. Officials said they had the authority to enforce such a ban under Norway's Planning and Building Act, which includes provisions on allocating energy.
'It is uncertain how big a problem crypto mining will become in Norway in the future,' the notice reads. 'The registration requirement in the new data center regulations will provide increased knowledge about the scope of data centers that mine cryptocurrency.'
Like many countries in Europe, Norway's residents have faced increasing costs on electricity amid Russia's war with Ukraine and sanctions impacting the region's supply of oil and gas. Locals in Norway have previously petitioned for crypto mining operations to shut down over noise concerns. Mining bans proposed in response to environmental concerns, noise
Norway would not be the first country to consider a ban on cryptocurrency mining. In January, Russia began imposing a ban in 10 regions as part of efforts to limit blackouts and reduce energy consumption.
China, which had been one of the most significant sources of crypto mining before 2021, faced a blanket ban, which drove many operations to US states like Texas. Though lawmakers in the US government have spoken out against mining due to concerns over energy use, the practice is still legal in most jurisdictions and states, making the country one of the biggest contributors to the global Bitcoin hashrate.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/norway-government-crypto-mining-ban-energy
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Around the world, Iranian expatriates are desperately waiting for any news that their loved ones back home are safe, as deadly missile exchanges between Iran and Israel have escalated since June 13, following Israeli strikes it claimed were aimed at halting Iran's nuclear programme. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that the change or fall of Iran's leadership was not a goal of Israel's attacks but could be a result. Cyber attacks have surged since the conflict began, aimed at Iranian banks and state television networks. On Wednesday, hackers briefly took control of the national TV news channel, broadcasting a message calling on people to protest, which the network quickly dismissed as an 'irrelevant message'. Prominent internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks said the country had been witnessing significative disruptions since the conflict started. On Saturday, it said partial internet service resumed after a 62-hour government-imposed shutdown. 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'There's been some improvement starting today [June 21],' he added. 'But there's still fear it could come back at any time.' Currently, there's a 'whitelisting' system in place, with only a limited list of websites accessible both inside and outside Iran. 'It's unclear what the exact policy is or how these websites are chosen,' he said. A 'concerning' pattern Human rights organisations have denounced the move to restrict internet as part of a 'concerning' trend. 'We are deeply worried about the nature and scale of the shutdown, which only adds to the distress of people already grappling with … uncertainty,' Hussein Baoumi, the Middle East and North Africa deputy regional director at Amnesty International, told The National. 'Restricting access to platforms like WhatsApp and other communication tools prevents people from obtaining potentially life-saving information, including warnings about bombings. 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The government of Norway is considering a temporary ban on crypto mining in the country in an effort to 'free up power, network capacity and area for other purposes.' In a Friday notice, the Norwegian government said it would be conducting an investigation in autumn that could result in a temporary ban on crypto mining data centers. Officials said they had the authority to enforce such a ban under Norway's Planning and Building Act, which includes provisions on allocating energy. 'It is uncertain how big a problem crypto mining will become in Norway in the future,' the notice reads. 'The registration requirement in the new data center regulations will provide increased knowledge about the scope of data centers that mine cryptocurrency.' Like many countries in Europe, Norway's residents have faced increasing costs on electricity amid Russia's war with Ukraine and sanctions impacting the region's supply of oil and gas. Locals in Norway have previously petitioned for crypto mining operations to shut down over noise concerns. Mining bans proposed in response to environmental concerns, noise Norway would not be the first country to consider a ban on cryptocurrency mining. In January, Russia began imposing a ban in 10 regions as part of efforts to limit blackouts and reduce energy consumption. China, which had been one of the most significant sources of crypto mining before 2021, faced a blanket ban, which drove many operations to US states like Texas. Though lawmakers in the US government have spoken out against mining due to concerns over energy use, the practice is still legal in most jurisdictions and states, making the country one of the biggest contributors to the global Bitcoin hashrate. Source:
