The Arctic This Week June 15 - June 21, 2015  Photo: Marc Jacobsen Welcome and thanks for joining us this week! We hope that you find TATW interesting and entertaining to read. If you’re not a subscriber yet, you can sign up here. As always, all editorial choices, opinions and any mistakes are the authors’ own. Anything that we missed? Please feel free to share material with us if you think it deserves inclusion in TATW. THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES Wildfire season in Alaska and northern Canada Roughly 65 wildfires are currently burning in northern Canada. However, none of them have reached threatening levels and recent storms have brought a cooling and the number of wildfires is expected to go down (NORJ). By contrast, the wildfires in Alaska, in particular on the Kenai Peninsula, have become so threatening that Governor Bill Walker issued a disaster declaration. As a result, $1 million of state money can now be used to cover part of the costs of the fires (AD). A lightning strike in Alaska’s eastern Interior has sparked another wildfire, named the Chisana River 2 fire. The fire is estimated to cover 17,000 acres and is still expanding (AD). According to the Arctic Sounder, the fire has destroyed 50 to 100 structures and is now a national priority (AS). However, according to Pete Buist, a public information officer for the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center, this is below normal. Read the interviewhere (EOTA). Northern Russia is getting (relatively) safer According to new data from the excellent regional statistical database Patchwork Barents, Russia’s northern regions have experienced a sizable decrease in violent crime rates since 1990 (BO). In particular, homicide rates in the northern areas of Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Nenets AO, Karelia, and Komi have fallen significantly in the past 20+ years. However, northern Russia’s homicide rates still don’t stand up too well to other Arctic regions like northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Seattle protesters make final statement as Shell rig begins Arctic journey A group of “kayaktivists” made a final attempt to block the Shell rig Polar Pioneer as it departed Seattle for Alaska on June 15. The U.S. Coast Guard detained several activists for violating an established safety zone as the rig continued northward (ME). In preparation for Shell’s Chukchi Sea exploration activities, the company also won approval from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to disturb marine life. This permit only covered expected noise considerations stemming from Shell’s activities and is one of the final hurdles that Shell needed to overcome in order to receive full regulatory approval to operate in the Chukchi Sea (Bloomberg). An overview of Shell’s exploration activities can be found here. Meanwhile, the company is facing a lawsuit from a former employee who claims that Shell undertook unsafe practices during its Arctic activities in 2012 (Splash 24/7). Alaskan village to serve as model for development…if the experts are right The Kuskokwim River village of Oscarville has been chosen as a testbed of sorts by a team of experts looking to develop a model that will help improve communities around Alaska (AD). The team, which is composed of specialists in fields like public health, economics, infrastructure, housing, and tribal affairs, is looking to turn Oscarville (pop. 50) into the gold standard for small-town Alaskan development. You can watch a video about the project, called “Oscarville: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Northern Communities”, here. THE POLITICAL SCENE Russia United States Europe Parliament stops new ice edge boundary (NRK, in Norwegian). Greenlandic flag celebrates its 30th birthday (KNR, in Danish). Election 2015 voter turnout is lowest in 25 years (KNR, in Danish). ENERGY Western firms eyeing Russia deals despite sanctions Seeking to raise funds while struggling with Western sanctions, Rosneft signed deals with BP and Total that would allow temporary financial relief while also working within the limitations of the sanctions. Gazprom has also sought out deals with European companies for similar reasons (WSJ). In addition, Rosneft and Statoil are planning to go ahead with previously agreed upon exploration activities beginning in 2016 (EOTA). Finland Norway Polish oilmen go Arctic (BO). Russia Rosneft has completed a 10-week Arctic research expedition, which the company claims is the largest of its kind in 20 years (BO). United States Linc outlines Umiat (PN). SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE Ocean acidification could reach threatening levels by 2030 A study by NOAA, the University of Alaska, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on ocean acidification was recently published in the journal Oceanography and concludes that the levels of acidity in the surface waters could reach levels threatening to shellfish by 2030 in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas and by 2044 in the Bering Sea (NOAA,AJ). Polar bears The first polar bear sightings of the year have brought a good number of articles too: First polar bear spotted in this summer (Arctic blog: 79 Degrees North – Helmholtz). Earth sciences, climate and weather Climate researchers: Norway was one of the coldest countries in the world in May (NRK, in Norwegian). Ecology and wildlife With this headdress marine mammals help scientists onshore (NRK, in Norwegian). Expeditions & research blogs The Invisible Majority – How single cells make Earth habitable (Polarstern – Helmholtz). TRANSSIZ Expedition – Facts and Figures of the different scientific programmes (Polarstern – Helmholtz). Summer has returned (Arctic blog: 79 Degrees North – Helmholtz). Environmental management University & research news 20 year-anniversary of the research station Zackenberg (KNR, in Danish). MILITARY / SEARCH & RESCUE Europe Russia Russia Deploys New Radar Stations in Arctic (Sputnik). United States Assessing the U.S. Navy’s Arctic Roadmap (CIMSEC). MINING Finnish government invests in Talvivaara Financially-beleaguered Finnish mining company Talvivaara received some good news last week when Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn announced his government will invest 112 million euros in the firm (EOTA). The investment is aimed at helping the company’s new owners, Audley Capital Advisors, finance and finalize their purchase of the firm. Agnico Eagle Mines' Amaruq gold project in the central Nunavut Kivalliq region is continuing to outperform its expectations (PN). FISHERIES, SHIPPING AND OTHER BUSINESS NEWS Alaska sockeye salmon: low prices versus huge potential volume The Alaska fisheries industry is expecting the largest run of sockeye salmon in 20 years. The industry hopes that the volume of fish can help offset low recent prices, which are due to several factors, including the closure of the Russian markets, the strength of the U.S. dollar, high volumes of farmed salmon from Norway, and leftover salmon from 2014 (AJOC,AD). Fisheries Royal Greenland does not understand the criticism from the fishermen (KNR, in Danish). From Shtokman to fishermen (Murmansk Economic Zone) (BO). Taking the shortcut to Japan with 1,800 tons of whale meat (NRK, in Norwegian). Shipping Halifax Shipyard cuts steel for first Arctic Patrol Ship (Global News). Other business and economic news U.S. & Canada Russia U.S. Bankers Shun Putin Showcase as Europe’s Oil Men Pay Court (St. Petersburg International Economic Forum) (Bloomberg). Nordics Making Digital Sales Easier (Norway) (NORA). The Arctic Business Secretariat opened in Bodø (Norway) (Rederi, in Norwegian). HEALTH, YOUTH, SOCIETY AND CULTURE Two countries, one First Nation The White River First Nation has managed to stay unified despite being bisected by the US-Canada border between eastern Alaska and western Yukon since 1903 (CBC). Although it has stayed intact, members of the White River First Nation face a number of difficulties, most of which stem from simple, practical problems related to crossing back and forth across the border. Health One chapter from the forthcoming July 2015 book The New Arctic titled “Infectious Disease in the Arctic: A Panorama in Transition” been made available in advance online via the publisher (Springer). Society Here’s a fascinating article on how Muslims in the Norwegian Arctic practice fasting for Ramadan when the sun doesn’t set (SBS TV). Culture A recent episode of the BBC three-part series “Kate Humble: Living with Nomads” prominently features the nomadic reindeer-herding Nenets people of Russia’s Yamal Peninsula (The Independent). 83 year old picture turns heads (NRK, in Norwegian). The art project "SALT" reopens today (NRK, in Norwegian). Inuk Silis Hoegh awarded the PA's culture award (KNR, in Danish). Born to be Greenlandic (AJ). Sports INFRASTRUCTURE United States Asia Abbreviation Key Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Aftenbladet (AB) Alaska Business Monthly (ABM) Alaska Dispatch News (AD) Alaska Journal of Commerce (AJOC) Alaska Native News (ANN) Alaska Public Media (APM) Alaska Sounder (AS) Arctic Info (Russian) (AIR) Arctic Institute (TAI) Barents Nova (BN) Barents Observer (BO) Bristol Bay Times (BBT) BusinessWeek (BW) Canadian Mining Journal (CMJ) Christian Science Monitor (CSM) Eye on the Arctic (EOTA) Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (FNM) Financial Times (FT) Globe and Mail (G&M) Government of Canada (GOC) Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) Huffington Post (HP) Indian Country Today Media Network (ICTMN) Johnson’s Russia List (JRL) Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) Lapin Kansa (LK) Maritime Executive (MarEx) Moscow Times (MT) National Geographic (NG) Natural Gas Europe (NGE) Naval Today (NT) New York Times (NYT) Northern Journal (NJ) Northern News Service Online (NNSO) Northern Public Affairs (NPA) Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) Nunatsiaq News (NN) Oil & Gas Journal (OGJ) Ottawa Citizen (OC) Petroleum News (PN) RIA Novosti (RIAN) Russia Beyond the Headlines (RBTH) Russia Today (RT) Voice of Russia (VOR) Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Washington Post (WP) Whitehorse Star (WS) Winnipeg Free Press (WFP) Yukon News (YN) |
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The Arctic This Week June 24
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