The Arctic This Week June 22 - June 28, 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 Oil giants delay Beaufort Sea drilling activities indefinitely A consortium including Imperial Oil, ExxonMobil, and BP have asked Canadian authorities for a seven-year extension to a license for exploration activities north of the Northwest Territories, effectively delaying the beginning of exploratory drilling. The consortium determined that they needed more time to comply with regulatory requirements for the license, which otherwise expires in 2020 (Reuters). Although the decline in the price of oil was not expected to play a factor in the decision, the companies may have been influenced by the impact of climate change, and were likely finding it challenging to develop adequate plans that would satisfy regulators’ concerns over drilling in the region within the original timeframe (CBC). Murkowski defends Alaskan mining, goes after EPA Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (R) is leveraging her position as chairwoman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to help remove regulatory obstacles for mining firms operating in Alaska (PN). In particular, Murkowski has been using her influence over purse strings to go after the EPA’s controversial new Clean Water Rule that was proposed in May. Murkowski contends that the bill would unfairly impact Alaska, as approximately 130 million acres of tundra, permafrost, and other wetlands would be defined as "inland waters" under the new regulations. New national park in Nunavut approved A new national park, Canada’s 45th, was approved by the House of Commons on June 19. Nunavut's Qausuittuq National Park would be located Bathurst Island in the High Arctic (CBC). A short audio and video on theArctic Journal give a little more background information on the park and its dark winters (AJ). Northern health indicators among the worst in Canada In a new nationwide survey, Canada’s three northern territories ranked among the country’s worst when it came to commonly-used health indicators such as smoking, binge drinking, and obesity rates (CBC). The NWT fared poorly in the Statistics Canada survey, reporting the highest rates of obesity and binge drinking, as well as the second-highest rate of smoking in Canada. Nunavut led the country in smoking rate with a staggering 62% of the territory’s population self-reporting as smokers. Nunavut also had the lowest vegetable consumption rate in the country. Some good news though: Yukon was ranked the most active population in the country and Nunavut reported the lowest high blood pressure rates. The NWT registers sharp population decline According to Statistics Canada, the population of the NWT decreased by 491 people over the past year, the territory’s single largest loss of population in one year since 1999 (CBC). The loss of 491 people is equivalent to just over 1% of the territory’s total population. However, the NWT is the only region in northern Canada that experienced negative population growth in the past year as neighboring Nunavut’s population increased by 636 people and Yukon’s increased by 564 people. THE POLITICAL SCENE United States Europe The European Union in the Arctic (World Policy Blog). Faroese PM in Political Turmoil (NORA Region Trends). 30 years of the Greenlandic flag (Arctic Business Network, in Danish). Asia Canada Russia ENERGY Environmentalists find potential loophole in fight to block Shell’s Arctic drilling plans Environmental groups may have finally stumbled across a means to disrupt Shell’s looming Arctic operations. In a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, the groups claimed that Shell’s plans to drill two wells nine miles apart are in violation of an obscure U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulation requiring that wells be at least fifteen miles apart to minimize their impact on animal populations. The groups have additionally claimed that the federal government’s recent authorization allowing Shell to disturb animal populations should be invalidated as a result of this finding (FuelFix). Total transfers Shtokman stake to Gazprom French energy producer Total has pulled out of the Shtokman natural gas project in the Barents Sea, transferring its 25% stake in the project to Gazprom. Work on the project had already been suspended for the past two years. Although the Shtokman field holds some of the world’s largest shares of untapped natural gas, Gazprom did not feel that current extraction capabilities warranted continued investment in the project at this time (Yahoo). Despite this recent move, Total has nonetheless demonstrated its interest in remaining engaged in Russian projects going forward (AJ). Canada Gas back in favor (PN). Norway Russia United States Development of Arctic offshore resources via submarine: Here we come? (Breaking Energy). Miscellaneous SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE Fossil of four-legged fish returned to Canada The Canadian Museum of Nature has announced the return of a 375-million-year-old fossil of a primitive fish that had four legs. The discovery of the fossil, also known as “Tiktaalik”, in 2004 greatly contributed to the understanding of the evolution from fish to land animals (G&M). Tiktaalik and a group of fossils have been studied in the U.S. for the past decade and were now returned to Canada (CBC). Earth sciences, climate and weather Wildlife and ecology An excellent ice year was good news for these fellows (polar bears) (NRK, in Norwegian). Rapidly Acidifying Arctic Ocean Threatens Species (Climate Central). Environmental management Research and university news Arctic Frontiers 2016 - Science section: Call for papers (Fram Centre). Arctic United (RT). U.S. Coast Guard launches major study of Arctic Ocean – Canadian scientists involved in project (Ottawa Citizen). Archaeology MILITARY / SEARCH & RESCUE Russia Rare video shows Russian Air Force Tu-160 Blackjack bombers activity in the Arctic (The Aviationist). Russia is deploying advanced aerial weapon systems to the Arctic (Business Insider). Canada United States Europe MINING Snap Lake diamond mine is looking at layoffs Contractor Boart Longyear has indicated that cutbacks are in store at De Beers’ Snap Lake underground diamond mine in the NWT (CBC). According to industry analysts, the cuts are due to a global dip in diamond prices coupled with an issue regarding the mine’s water management system. Meanwhile, De Beers is facing criticism from First Nations environmental activists over how the mine is handling the water management problem (CBC). North American Nickel is gearing up for a summer of exploration activities in Greenland (Arctic Business Network, in Danish). FISHERIES, SHIPPING AND OTHER BUSINESS NEWS Northern Canadian microbreweries are growing Iqaluit might get a microbrewery. Last Tuesday, the plans for the proposed Nunavut Brewing Company were presented at a city council meeting (CBC). Another article on CBC discusses the trend of microbreweries in the northern Canada and argues that they are actually no longer ‘micro’ (CBC). Legislation proposal on the restriction of oil and gas shipping in the Russian Arctic A new legislation being considered by Russia's Ministry of Transport that would prohibit companies the export of Russian Arctic oil and gas with foreign-registered ships. Other restrictions were also suggested (AD). Fisheries Shipping Tourism Other business and economic news U.S. and Canada Construction steady so far (AJOC). Russia Nordics How Svalbard will survive and gain 500 new FTEs (NRK, in Norwegian). HEALTH, YOUTH, SOCIETY AND CULTURE Remote learning in the cards for Arviat high school Facing a teacher shortfall for the 2015-2016 academic year, the southern Nunavut town of Arviat is exploring the option of teaching more of its high school classes online (NN). However, parents in Arviat are skeptical about the plan, which would result in a number of subjects, including all sciences classes, not actually being offered in person at Arviat’s John Arnalukjuak High School. The CBC has also published a useful piece on the ‘5 things you need to know about distance learning in Nunavut’ (CBC). ...Speaking of distance learning, let’s talk Arctic telemedicine In her latest piece for the Alaska Dispatch-Eye On The Arctic collaborative, TAI Board Member Heather Exner-Pirot digs into the ongoing revolution in telemedicine and its potential applications in the Arctic. Huge strides are being made in the field of telemedicine, but the next step is bringing those burgeoning capabilities to the Arctic, where deploying telemedicine only makes too much sense (AD). Health According to the Mayor of Igloolik, the town’s tap water is once again safe to drink after residents discovered parasitic flukes coming out of their faucets (CBC). Report: Higher deficits, more uninsured if health law tossed (AJOC). Nurse supply in Canada declines for 1st time in 20 years (CBC). Youth Society Pauktuutit, a Canadian NGO that works to advance the welfare of Inuit women, is calling on the RCMP to develop a new strategy to help reduce violence against women in northern Canada (CBC). Culture Festival of North Norway Director to successor: Follow your heart (NRK, in Norwegian). Fighting against the natural environment with art as a weapon (NRK, in Norwegian). Sports The inaugural 2016 Arctic X Games, scheduled to take place in Whitehorse, Yukon in March 2016, have been cancelled due to lack of participant support and financial shortcomings (AIR). Orienteering is not just for reclusive nature enthusiasts (NRK, in Norwegian). INFRASTRUCTURE Canada United States 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) 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 (NM) 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 (NORJ) 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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