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The Arctic This Week February 1 - February 7, 2016

ByMieke Coppes,Doris Friedrich, andRyan Uljua February 10, 2016

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 cansign 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.

TAI’s RECENT ACTIVITIES

As part of our collaboration with the Norwegian newspaperHigh North News, Mieke Coppesreflected upon the Northern Lights Conference 2016, a business event that was recently held in Ottawa to display Canada’s Arctic industry and culture in the country’s capital. Victoria Herrmanndiscussed the decision to put heavy fuel oils on the agenda of last week’s meeting of the Arctic Council Protection of the Marine Environment Working Group.

TAI'sMarc Jacobsen recently received anaward from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Foreign Policy Society for an article about Denmark's strategic interests in the Arctic. The article, “It’s the Greenlandic connection, stupid”, will be published in Danish in next volume of 'Udenrigs' and will soon be available in English on our webpage. Congrats Marc!!!

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Russian claim for Arctic shelf presented on February 9th

On February 9th the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology presented the Russian application for the expansion of their continental shelf. Russia submitted an original claim to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) on August 3 (TASS). However, they’re not the only ones claiming the areas around Lomonosov Ridge and the North Pole as part of their continental shelf, as Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the United States all have claims in the area (RFE).

North Korea signs Svalbard Treaty

At the end of January, North Korea signed the Svalbard Treaty, which gives them access to conduct economic and scientific activities on the Arctic archipelago (EOTA). At this point over 40 countries have signed the treaty since the 1920’s (IBO).

Record low January sea ice

Yet another Arctic sea ice record: January saw the lowest sea ice extent for the month since the beginning of satellite recordings. The record-low sea ice for January this year was accompanied by higher than normal air temperatures (NSIDC,AJ).

Uptick in Russian sub activity noted

The Commander of NATO’s Maritime Command said in a recent interview that levels of Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic have returned to Cold War levels, or even higher (Jane’s). The NATO Commander also noted a sharp increase in the Russian submarine force’s technical skills and capabilities (IBO). Meanwhile, a Russian Vice Admiral told (wholly state-owned and operated) Russian media outlet Sputnik News that the current size and frequency of submarine and other warship activity worldwide is “normal practice” (Sputnik).

THE POLITICAL SCENE

Transnational

West Nordic Council Looking to Observe Arctic Council (HNN, in Norwegian).

How to Win Friends and Influence in the Arctic (AJ).

Minister Soini at the Center for Strategic and international Studies (AJ).

Canada

Prime Minister Trudeau became the first sitting Prime Minister to visit the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatam (ITK) headquarters in Ottawa last week. The meeting focused on three things: the relationship between the government and the Inuit, social development, and economic development (NORJ).

Liard First Nation Members Decry Resource Pact With Yukon Government(YN).

Cutting Back on Aboriginal Spending Will Cost More in the Long Run: Murray Sinclair (CBC).

Sweden

Renewed Hope (AJ).

Saami Win Case for Rights to Hunt, Fish in Sweden (EOTA).

United States

Interview: Gov. Walker Outlines Arctic Priorities (AD).

Week 3 in Juneau: 'We Need to Man Up and Do Our Jobs' (AJOC).

Congress Passes Coast Guard Bill Transferring Federal Land to Alaska Natives (AD).

Norway

Norway to Resume Returning Rejected Asylum Seekers to Russia (Europe Online).

Finland

Finland to Test Drones Along Russian Border as Migrant Crisis Deepens (Sputnik).

Immigration Service to Close Five More Asylum Seeker Reception Centres (Yle).

Russia

Putin has approved a proposal which will abolish Rosgranitsa, the agency responsible for borders, and transfer the responsibilities to the Ministry of Transportation (IBO).

Russia Agrees to Take 200-300 Failed Asylum Seekers From Norway (Sputnik).

More Than 500 Asylum Seekers From Russia in January (Yle).

Murmansk, Nordic Visa Centers Merge (IBO).

Russia Opens Borders for Migrants with Residence Permits (IBO).

Greenland/Denmark

Students: Peace in the Arctic Depends on Greenland and Denmark(KNR, in Danish).

Silent Minority (AJ).

Miscellaneous

John Ralston Saul: Indigenous Peoples Don't Need Sympathy, They Need You to Take Action (CBC).

Three Summits in the Arctic for the Inuit in 2018 (KNR, in Danish).

Sámi Parliament President: "This Past Year Has Been Tough" (Yle)

ENERGY

Canada

Yukon researchers analyse best solar panels for the North (CBC).

NWT in the dumps (PN).

Greenland

Developing renewable energy in discontiguous Greenland: an infrastructural urbanism of ‘material practices’ (Journal of Landscape Architecture).

Norway

New wind power park on Barents Sea coast (IBO).

Arctic coal company needs support says Norway (EOTA).

Norway Says Arctic Gas Expansion Depends on EU's Climate Plan (Bloomberg).

Russia

50 million tons of Russian Arctic oil (IBO).

Russian Oil Export Tariffs Drop by Third in February (Sputnik).

Transnational

Environmental groups want Arctic Council support for ban on heavy fuel oil (CTV News).

Environmental Groups Renew Call for Arctic HFO Ban (Ship & Bunker).

Arctic Council support sought by environmental groups for heavy fuel oil ban (Indigenous Business & Finance Today).

Green Groups Urge Arctic Council Urged to Ban (Marine Link).

Improving safety for oil and gas workers in the Arctic (IndustriALL Union).

Performance-based risk management systems (PBRMS) in the Arctic drilling waste handling operation (IEEE).

United States

In an effort to boost falling oil revenue, Alaska is mulling a move to double the amount of so-called royalty oil it sells to the state’s local refiners, most notably Tesoro Alaska (AD).

How Shell's Arctic pullout better prepares Alaska for oil spills (AD).

ConocoPhillips shows healthy earnings in Alaska, keeps capital investment up (AD).

Negotiations among producers challenging AK LNG timeline (AJOC).

BlueCrest: Credits an investment, not a cost (AJOC).

Hilcorp still ready to buy assets as it looks to cost control (AJOC).

BP reports 91 percent fall in fourth quarter earnings (AJOC).

ExxonMobil’s 4Q and annual profit drop to 2002 level (AJOC).

Court approves Miller bankruptcy plan (PN).

Southcentral exploration licenses possible (PN).

Toward unification: Railbelt utilities report on forming transmission grid system operator (PN).

TAPS reaching a milestone (PN).

Move over Clive Cussler. Make room for Craig Bieber (PN).

ANS crude output down marginally from December (PN).

State gas team updates legislators on organization, decision making (PN).

Stoltze: Treat Permanent Fund with care (PN).

The headache of low oil flow in TAPS (PN).

Court invalidates pipeline valuation rule (PN).

BP reports $5.2 billion loss, more job cuts (PN).

Schantz named to head PWSRCAC (PN).

Planning for oil spill food safety (PN).

AEDC projects 1,600 job loss in Anchorage (PN).

Oil Patch Bits: Two lucky winners to wave the flag at Iron Dog race (PN).

Investigation Sought of Obama Administration's Approval of Shell's Arctic Drilling (Center for Biological Diversity).

SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

The melting of Greenland glaciers affects ocean circulation

A study recently published inNature Communications shows that the accelerated melting of the Greenland glaciers due to climate change has profound impacts on the world’s ocean circulation, as it discharges freshwater and changes the salinity of the ocean (CBC).

Earth sciences, climate and weather

Climate science: A great Arctic ice shelf (Nature).

Alaska lags far behind the West Coast's earthquake warning systems (AD).

Oldest and deepest lake in world shaken by earthquake (Baikal) (ST).

Svalbard glaciers are not like other glaciers (HNN, in Norwegian).

T-Shirt Weather in the Arctic (NYT).

Wildlife and ecology

Alaska seabird die-off investigation hindered by data gaps (CBC).

Why don’t the caribou cross the road? (EOTA)

Biologists demand separate areas for predators (forskning, in Norwegian).

Shows owl research with images (forskning, in Norwegian).

This short film about musk oxen will make you feel new levels of cold (AD).

Shrinking, faster-moving ice has polar bears on a 'treadmill' to stay in Alaska (AD).

Scientists put the animal equivalent of a Fitbit on polar bears. Here's what they learned (AD).

'Bear was looking right at him': Close encounters with polar bears in Labrador (CBC).

Environmental management

New plan should lower the level of conflict between the reindeer industry and the local community (NRK, in Norwegian).

Sanctuary expands for near-extinct Saimaa seals – on a voluntary basis (Yle).

Russian chemical waste site threatens Gulf of Finland (Yle).

See new film about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (NRK, in Norwegian).

«Clean up this rocket trash» (IBO).

Greenland - Is there a vet in the house? (AJ).

Research and university news

UAF scientist wins international Arctic award (John Walsh) (AD).

The Future of Arctic Science (World Policy Blog).

Archaeology, history, museums

Yukon Archives opens doors to public with 'Archives À La Carte' (CBC).

The mysterious silver ring (NRK, in Norwegian).

Patriarch encroaches on Arctic Museum (IBO).

Kotzebue construction workers stumble across archaeological find (AD).

MILITARY / SEARCH & RESCUE

Canada

Arctic Readiness - Canadian Army trains in Canada's North (Canada News Centre).

Responding to Global Challenges: the Arctic and terrorism - still some room for complacency? (Canadian Global Affairs Institute).

Norway

Eriksen Søreide: - Norway's NATO focus is in north (NRK, in Norwegian).

Russia

Northern Fleet gets own air force, air defense forces (IBO).

Russian tank biathlon crews hone skills in extreme Arctic conditions (VIDEO) (RT).

Russia's Arctic military training (TASS).

Russian Icebreaker Could Be Arctic HQ (MarEx).

United States

'Dark Knights' train to gain confidence operating in Arctic conditions (US Army).

Operating In the Arctic (Signal - AFCEA).

MINING

Canada

Yukon court sets rules to resolve dispute between feuding Dawson placer miners (CBC).

Plans for Casino mega-mine under criticism (YN).

Mining giant BHP Billiton buys into Nunavut copper project (NN).

BHP Billiton to invest up to C$40 million at Storm (Nunavut) (PN).

Winter drilling gets underway at Yellowknife (Yukon) (PN).

Banyan picks Haywood as president, CEO (PN).

Greenland

NunaMinerals: Payback’s a glitch (AJ).

Norway

LNS does not buy Sydvaranger Mine (HNN, in Norwegian).

Marked resistance to mining dumping (NRK, in Norwegian).

United States

Following a recent lawsuit by the operator of Red Dog mine, Teck Alaska, against the local Northwest Arctic Borough government over a tax increase, the Borough has responded by harshly criticizing the mine’s operator and insisting that Teck can afford the new tax (PN).

Donlin Gold mine at a glance (AD).

Golden opportunity or toxic risk? Southwest Alaska debates Donlin mine (AD).

Federal officials consider Donlin mine’s subsistence impact (AJOC).

Novagold balance sheet healthy; junior focuses on permitting Donlin Gold Mine (PN).

WestMountain targets increased Terra gold output (PN).

Worth of Alaska mines’ output falls 12% (PN).

JV pacts lapse on two Millrock copper projects (PN).

FISHERIES, SHIPPING AND OTHER BUSINESS NEWS

Fisheries

Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo pays historic visit to the Senate (CBC).

Some tasty, pricey black cod heading to Kodiak food banks (AD).

FISH FACTOR: Rare optimism for halibut as IPHC boosts harvest quotas (AJOC).

Halibut quota up 2.3 percent overall, dips for Central Gulf (AJOC).

Walker gives Ruffner second shot at Board of Fisheries (AJOC).

Bycatch spike, meeting spur trawl stand down (AJOC).

Emissions and climate forcing from global and Arctic fishing vessels (Journal of Geophysical Research).

Shipping

Shipping - Back on course (AJ).

Narvik the latest "EU-harbor" in the north (HNN, in Norwegian).

Murmansk wants Arctic container port (IBO).

American-Chinese cooperation on Northern Sea Route (IBO).

Arctic Liner Shipping to Become Viable around 2040, Suez Set for Two More Decades (World Maritime News).

Kongsberg Maritime cameras set for Arctic operations (AJ).

Canadian Arctic Ship Disaster Featured in Game (MarEx).

Aviation

Finnair mulls culling domestic flights over spate of crew illnesses (Yle).

Tourism

Marriott chain 'to expand in Siberia with Novosibirsk developments' (ST).

Foreign tourists may be granted visa-free entry to Russian Arctic (arctic.ru).

Other business and economic news

Conference announcement - Ocean Innovation 2016 (UArctic).

Blog: Why northern development is hard (EOTA).

Comment: 15 lost years? (HNN, in Norwegian).

Bellona presents report on sustainable Arctic development (Bellona).

U.S.

Unalaska set to ban commercial marijuana sales (AD).

TSA struggles to fill vacant positions at airports around Alaska (AD).

Construction forecast down 18% to 2013 levels (AJOC).

Canada

North West Company drops produce prices in 9 Nunavut communities (CBC).

Russia

Sanctions, low oil prices cost Russia $600 billion (EOTA).

Fertilizer hike for Phosagro (Murmansk Oblast) (IBO).

Nordics

Even though there are no signs of an economic recovery in Finland (Yle) and the country’s credit rating was expected to be downgraded, the Moody’s rating for Finland will remain unchanged...for now (Yle,Yle).

Looking for Inuit in Støre’s Arctic Investment Protocol (HNN, in Norwegian).

They will "turn on the light" in Longyearbyen (HNN, in Norwegian).

Now crabs shall replace coal in Svalbard (HNN, in Norwegian).

Conference was a success (ABN, in Danish).

HEALTH, YOUTH & EDUCATION, SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Yukon Quest begins this week

The Yukon Quest, a rugged 1,600km dogsledding race, began earlier this week in Fairbanks. 23 mushers are participating, coming from countries as diverse as Canada, United States, Japan, and Sweden (CBC). After the first day of racing, Brent Sass, the 2015 winner, was in the lead. The second and third place were held by Hugh Neff and Allen Moore, both former winners as well (CBC). On the second day, mushers topped Eagle Summit (AD).

Health

Angoon, a town in Alaska, has warned residents to stop gathering traditional food from Hawk Inlet due to high levels of mercury. Officials are worried that the mercury increase is tied to the Hecla’s Green Creek Mine (AD).

Harassment, Mental Health Key Issues for N.W.T. Government Workers (CBC).

Winter Swimming Associated with Increased Risk of Strokes (Yle).

Cardiologist: Snow Work Could Contribute to Heart Attack Risk (Yle).

Study Finds 'Marked Increase" in Cancer Rates Among Arctic Residents (AD).

Youth & Education

Yukon College has made a course called “Yukon First Nations 101” more widely available. The course, which is already mandatory for students, has now become available for businesses, NGOs, and anyone else who is interested; it costs 90 dollars per person (CBC).

Anti-Racist Approach to Education Essential to Address Experience of Indigenous Teachers and Students (CBC).

Nenana-Based Correspondence School Gives Alaska Students one Last Shot at a Diploma (AD).

Never Before Have There Been More Saami Students (NRK, in Norwegian).

Challenging Municipalities to Prioritize Saami Children (NRK, in Norwegian).

Society

Police in Nuuk, Greenland have arrested a man who threatened an ‘American-style shooting’ at the high school. The man, who has a mental illness, has been taken to the psychiatric ward at the city hospital (AJ).

Coalition Against Family Violence Calls for Death Review Panel (CBC).

National Food Strategy Will Include Aboriginal input, Says Agriculture Minister (CBC).

Rejected Residential School Compensation Cases in North to be Reviewed, Says Lawyer (CBC).

French Duo Bring Frigid Freediving to Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut (CBC).

Cree Walkers Leave Moose Factory, Ontario, on Healing Path (CBC).

'I Am Inuit' Captures Life in Alaska Villages (AD).

Silliness Celebrated on Stage in Yellowknife (NORJ).

Change Cuts Vatican Support for NWT Catholic Diocese (NORJ).

Hárstták the Name of the Harstad (NRK, in Norwegian).

See NRK Reporter Join Yoik (NRK, in Norwegian).

It's So Quiet Here, Too Quiet (NRK, in Norwegian).

Jordmon-Kirsten, One of the Unknown Mountain Heroines (NRK, in Norwegian)

Born in Finland, Still a Foreigner (Yle).

Stalin's Ghost Descends on Russian North(IBO).

Culture

Of the North, a new experimental documentary about life in the North, has been pulled from a Quebec film festival. The move was due to the portrayal of Inuit peoples as well as the possible use of music without permission (CBC).

Madison Artist's Arctic Expedition Will Document Landscape (The Daily Cardinal)

Mass Paint Planned for UAA (AD).

De Beers De-Fund Puts Carving Contest on Ice (NORJ).

Just Rewards: Russian Enthusiasts Make 'People's Academy Award' for Dicaprio (Sputnik).

Oslo Municipality Agrees to Sami Language Requirements in Kindergarten (NRK, in Norwegian).

Connecting Saami and Norwegian Traditional Music (NRK, in Norwegian).

Celebrating Saami in Oslo (NRK, in Norwegian).

Tough Competition to Stay at Træna (HNN, in Norwegian).

Reno Artist Sails Around Arctic Islands (Reno Gazette-Journal).

Sports

Denali Doubles: Where Iditarod Veterans Play by Jeff King's Rules (AD).

Alaska Ski for Women (AD).