Second only to Russia as Europe's largest producer of oil and natural gas, Norway's vast fossil fuel reserves have made the Scandinavian country wealthy while contributing to humanity's warming of the planet.

According to an annual climate barometer conducted by the Kantar market research firm, 31 percent of respondents were somewhat in favour of Norway continuing to drill for fossil fuels at the same rate, while another 31 percent were completely in favour.

Seventeen percent disagreed somewhat, and 14 percent disagreed completely.

The results mark an upturn in public approval for Norwegian fossil fuel extraction -- 54 percent voiced support when first asked in 2019, and that figure has risen every year since then bar 2021.

More than 2,000 people participated in the survey in June, with the full results set to be published on Tuesday as the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) takes place in Brazil.

Men were more supportive of ongoing extraction, as were over-45s and those with lower education levels, although 57 percent of people with higher education levels also responded favourably.

Since 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has called for an end to all new petroleum extraction projects so that global warming can be limited to 1.5C compared to pre-industrial levels.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in July that climate change was an "urgent and existential threat" and that countries had a legal duty to prevent harm from their planet-warming pollution.