The Arctic This Week November 30 - December 6, 2015
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.
Been to Bodø and the High North Dialogue this year?
If not, do not miss out next year and join us for #HND16 and find out if there is a blue future of the Arctic?
TAI’s RECENT ACTIVITIES
As part of our collaboration with the Norwegian newspaperHigh North News, TAI’s Victoria Herrmann briefly discussed the Arctic’s relevance at COP21. The article can be found here.
THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Dozens move in on new Norwegian Arctic block licenses
Norway has opened up almost 60 offshore blocks for potential exploration and over two dozen companies are lining up to get a chance at developing them (IBO; Stavanger Aftenblad, in Norwegian). Of the 57 newly-available blocks, 54 are located in the Barents Sea north of Norway while the remaining three are located in the Norwegian Sea. A number of the blocks included in the new round of licensing are located close to the maritime border with Russia in the southeastern Barents Sea region (Reuters). Perhaps not coincidentally, a number of the 26 companies that applied to develop the blocks by the Dec. 2 deadline were Russian companies (Bloomberg). On a related note, the Norwegian and Russian governments are now holding talks aimed at hashing out the proper regulations for surveying offshore oil fields along the shared maritime border (Bloomberg).
Hateful comments about Indigenous Peoples lead CBC to close online comments section
Due to the outpouring of hateful comments from anonymous posters, CBC has decided to close the comments section on posts dealing with Indigenous peoples (CBC). A young Indigenous artist from Yellowknife mentions that these hurtful comments can be detrimental to people who have already lost much, such as the missing and murdered Indigenous women (CBC).
N.W.T.’s Snap Lake diamond mine closes down
Diamond giant De Beers announced that it will shut down its Snap Lake diamond mine in N.W.T. (CBC). The decision will result in 434 employees losing their jobs (NORJ). The Snap Lake site was De Beers’ first mine outside of Africa and N.W.T.’s only fully-underground diamond mine. De Beers’ Canada CEO cited low global diamond prices and a nagging groundwater intrusion problem at the site as the main causes that drove the decision (CBC).
THE POLITICAL SCENE
Europe
COP21: No Chance of Turning Down the Heat on the Arctic (Cryopolitics).
Brende: We must do more for the climate in the Arctic (NRK, in Norwegian).
Sami Parliament in disarray (NRK, in Norwegian).
Comment: Why do you care about Northern Norway? (HNN, in Norwegian).
Russia
Canada
Asia
Peripheral kingdom (AJ).
ENERGY
Prirazlomnoye’s milestone haul
The Prirazlomnoye oil rig in Russia’s Pechora Sea achieved a milestone last week, producing its millionth ton of oil since starting operations in December 2013 (IBO). The field, currently Russia’s only operational offshore oil project in the Arctic, is estimated to have another 69 million tons of extractable crude (MarEx).
Canada
Norway
Norway aims for more Arctic oil drilling by 2017 (Market Watch).
Russia
Oil revenues down 75% (IBO).
United States
State and oil companies OK another year of LNG pursuit (Alaska) (APM).
AGDC, partners OK gasline budget; ExxonMobil only producer to not offer withdrawal agreement (AJOC).
Bishop listens, learns, votes yes (TransCanada) (PN).
SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
Memorandum of Understanding aimed at protection of British Columbia and Alaska waters
British Columbia and Alaska signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at protecting rivers, watersheds, and fisheries that run through both territories. The agreement includes the creation of a Bilateral Working Group, which will monitor water quality, facilitate information exchange, and guarantee stakeholders’ access to information (AJOC,CMJ).
Earth sciences, climate and weather
A variable rate of ice growth (NSIDC).
Fearing methane explosions in the Arctic Ocean (NRK, in Norwegian).
Advanced new camera can measure greenhouse gases (Phys.org).
Wildlife and ecology
Environmental management
Last Friday, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz stated that he will halt the contentious project to extend Elmore Road through Anchorage’s University-Medical District (Alaska) (AD,AD).
Norway got "prize" for being environmental laggard (NRK, in Norwegian).
Environmental cooperation with Russia despite ice front (polar bears) (NRK, in Norwegian).
Research and university news
Members of the University of the Arctic will solve the problem of ice melting and disasters (UArctic).
Director: Researchers should engage more in Greenland (KNR, in Danish).
Aalborg University is increasing its focus on Arctic research (KNR, in Danish).
Archaeology and history
MILITARY / SEARCH & RESCUE
Russia
Europe
Norway and the new European rapid reaction force (HNN, in Norwegian).
MINING
Massive diamond discovered at Arctic mine
One of the largest gem-quality diamonds in Canadian history was recently discovered at a mine north of the Arctic Circle (G&M). The 187.7 carat was discovered at Rio Tinto’s Diavik in N.W.T. (EOTA, CMJ). The rock, which has been dubbed ‘Diavik Foxfire’, was immediately shipped to London for an exclusive showcase at Kensington Palace…naturally (Reuters). Rio Tinto has posted a video of the uncut and unpolished diamond (Rio Tinto).
Canada
Victoria Gold raises 2016 exploration funds (Yukon) (PN).
Porphyry potential tapped at Aura’s Greyhound (Nunavut) (PN).
Northquest drills porphyry; Nord Gold ups stake (Nunavut) (PN).
Russia
United States
FISHERIES, SHIPPING AND OTHER BUSINESS NEWS
Alaska decides on regulations of the commercial sale of marijuana
On December 1st, the Alaska Marijuana Control Board agreed unanimously to restrict the residency requirement for marijuana business licensees (AJOC). In Ketchikan, the City Council voted to ban the commercial sale of marijuana in the city, but might revisit the vote (APM,AD). In Anchorage, the Assembly suggested a 5% tax on marijuana sales (AD).
First draft of the amendments to the Alaska Tongass National Forest Management Plan
The U.S. Forest Service recently released the first draft of an environmental impact statement to amend the Land and Resource Management Plan of the Tongass National Forest, which makes up 90% of Southeast Alaska. It presents five alternatives, which among others suggest to phase out old-growth timber harvest over 15 years (APM,AJOC).
Fisheries
New fisheries agreement between Norway and the EU (NRK, in Norwegian).
In Svalbard can we make stockfish in record time (HNN, in Norwegian).
Shipping
Dreams of energy driven Hurtigruten (NRK, in Norwegian).
Environmentalists in cooperation with Hurtigruten (HNN, in Norwegian).
Aviation
Tourism
Other business and economic news
U.S. & Canada
Getting in the holiday spirits (Distillery) (YN).
Russia
Nordics
Government takes from the Sami Parliament and gives to Sami newspapers (NRK, in Norwegian).
Sydvaranger Bankruptcy - another setback for Kirkenes-corporation Kimek (HNN, in Norwegian).
Michelin acquires Arctic test center (Tire Business).
Optimism in Greenland (ABN, in Danish).
Less focus on commodity-bonanza (ABN, in Danish).
HEALTH, YOUTH, SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Should the search for missing indigenous people be extended to men and boys as well?
A new petition from an associate professor at the University of British Columbia is calling for ‘gender inclusivity’, saying that men and boys account for more than 70 percent of the missing people and should be included in the search. Not everyone agrees that this is the same issue however, some claim that the type of violence against women is a particularly kind of violence, and there should be a separate inquiry for the different gender experiences (CBC).
Study released on health effects of Spice in Alaska
An epidemiological bulletin was released on Wednesday regarding Spice, a drug that has caused rampant health problems in Alaska over the last year. Although the report only looked at two hospitals in Alaska, it gives new information on the adverse impacts of the drug (AD). The Anchorage firefighters have worked hard to deal with the rising Spice problems (AD).
Health
Youth
Society
The Skolt Sámi are a minority within a minority in Finland. Although their culture is deeply dependent on the environment, their ability to adapt is also crucial important specifically with the impacts of climate change (TakePart).
Climate change: Arctic reindeer herders on thin ice (Al Jazeera).
Return of the Caribou (YN).
Arctic Lifestyle Could Lead the Way for Sustainable Future (Sunshine Coast Daily).
Opening the Canadian Arctic (Al Jazeera).
Dog Sledding in the Arctic Becomes a Thing of the Past (CCTV America).
The Adaptation Challenge in the Arctic (Nature).
Cuture
A new fiction book starring Joe Rush, the second in a series, deals with a bioterrorism scenario in Alaska. Although the book is fiction, there are aspects that ring true, including the importance of culture in the Arctic (AD).
Low Budget. High Octane (AJ).
Polar Cup in Fort Smith (NORJ).
Secrets Found in Lule Language (Forskning, in Norwegian).
An Inuk view on #changethename (Nukaq on Storify).
Life on the Line: People of the Arctic Circle (The Irish Times).
INFRASTRUCTURE
Russia
Europe
Winds of change (AJ).
Canada
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)
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)
Independent Barents Observer (IBO)
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)
NORA Region Trends (NORA)
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)