The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of May 20, 2019
Novatek’s LNG Race in the Russian Arctic
On May 21, Russian Novatek signed a contract with the UK-based oil and gas services provider TechnipFMC on “engineering, procurement, supply, construction and commissioning” of an integrated LNG facility for its Arctic LNG 2 project, due in 2023 (HNN, Novatek).
Take 1: A few months ago Novatek signed contracts with Siemens (February 2019) and Nuovo Pignone (December 2018) on providing several gas compressors and gas turbine generators for the Arctic LNG 2 site. Novatek’s determination to launch its second major LNG site on the Yamal peninsula on time makes its international partnership network grow larger, while its maneuverability on the national level gets more restricted. As TAI’s Malte Humpert points out in his article, Novatek will have to adapt to the current changes in Russia’s shipbuilding industry, which aims to reorientate itself to domestic construction of LNG carriers. Additionally, with Novatek’s ambitious plans to launch its third Yamal project in a row – Ob LNG – a number of alarming environmental and legal questions comes up in regards to the relevancy and adequacy of the company’s activities in the Arctic.
Sámi Youth Against the Arctic Railway
On May 22, members of the Finnish Sámi communities made a stand against the notorious Arctic Railway project. Several young leaders gathered in front of the House of the Estates in Helsinki with banners saying “No To The Arctic Railway,” calling the government to put an end to the construction plans of the railway from Rovaniemi to Kirkenes, be it funded by the state or by the private companies (Yle).
Take 2: Earlier this month, we commented on the unexpected news of the revival of the Arctic Railway project, which struck the indigenous communities in Northern Finland and led to a series of protests. The so-called “Arctic corridor” that was deemed commercially unviable by the Finnish Government in February, got a new push with the help of private funding from Finnish Finest Bay Area Development and Norwegian Sør-Varanger Utvikling. As with other actions against invasive infrastructure built on indigenous lands for the sake of colonial modernity, this week’s action is a significant part of the ongoing struggle against the controversial railway.
Exercise Northern Edge: Destroying the Environment vs Protecting the State
Since May 14 US major joint military exercise Northern Edge has been underway in southcentral and interior Alaska. Held biennially, it aims to prepare the US Pacific Air Forces and the US Pacific Fleet for crisis response in the Indo-Pacific region through practicing operations, techniques and procedures, and enhancing interoperability among the services. Yet, despite the praised efficiency of the Northern Edge in bringing the military units together, the local communities in Alaska are not happy with these drills, arguing that they harm the fragile northern environment and its marine ecolife. There are longstanding efforts of the activists and local politicians to get US military forces to review the geography of the exercise, however, there has been no response to concerns about the environmental impacts of the Northern Edge (EOTA).
Take 3: There is no doubt that the growing frequency of military exercises in the Arctic significantly contributes to rapid climate change and environmental impacts. Together with the global efforts on reducing CO2 emissions in the polar regions, the international community should consider minimizing the number of military drills. It will be a challenging task to negotiate the very perception and experience of security threats between the civilian and the military, but keeping in mind the unsettling history of the previous century, human security and ecosystem sustainability should come first on the radar, not the imaginary enemy of “the other”.
Facing Climate Change: Old Crow Announces State of Emergency
On May 19, the Old Crow community located in Yukon, Canada, declared a state of emergency due to the drastic impacts of climate change on the local environment and traditional ways of life. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Chief Dana Tizya-Tramm hopes to have other First Nations sign the declaration and therefore raise their concerns to the higher political level (EOTA).
Take 4: Keeping in mind the growing number of environmentally damaging extractive projects and military exercises happening throughout the Arctic, it is no wonder that the local communities are finding themselves more and more exposed to the impacts of climate change triggered by these activities. Rather than seeing opportunities and economic gains in the altering northern landscapes, the people of the Old Crow feel a responsibility to protect it from further destruction simply due to being spiritually connected to their land, to their water and to their animals, as Lorraine Netro, a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and an environmental advocate, noted. This is the only right attitude if humanity really cares about its own well-being and its future generations.
Season Opened: Wildfires Swish Across Northern Alberta
On Tuesday, May 21, a large wildfire broke out close to the town of High Level in Northern Alberta, Canada. According to CBC News, there has been over 430 wildfires recorded since the beginning of March, and more are expected to come (CBS, EOTA).
Take 5: Even though such large-scale fires are common during spring time, this year’s numbers are reported to be higher than the average. Last month, there were already similar reports from Scotland, Sweden, and Norway, who are now preparing to battle forest fires and learn from the dramatic lessons of last year’s devastation. This fact reminds us again about the direct connection between the growing number of wildfires in the Northern hemisphere and accelerating climate change.