The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of February 28, 2022
Russian Nuclear Deterrence Forces Put on Alert on the Kola Peninsula
As reported by the Barents Observer on February 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, and chief of general staff, Valeri Gerasimov, to put the Russian army’s nuclear deterrence forces in activation ready “alert mode.” This includes ballistic missile submarines and nuclear weapons storage facilities in the Kola Peninsula, a territory bordering Norway that holds one of Russia’s largest nuclear weapons arsenals. (The Barents Observer)
Take 1: Today, the future of the Arctic seriously depends on relations between Russia and the West. The geopolitical significance of the region is now back in the spotlight as Russian forces continue to invade Ukraine. The so-called nuclear balance between nations equipped with these kinds of weapons is a key factor in ensuring the security of the Arctic, with the Kola Peninsula extremely important in this equilibrium. One of Russia’s largest storages for nuclear warheads is near Murmansk, with several storage facilities for naval nuclear warheads as well as the Russian Northern Fleet’s headquarters located here. Although the Arctic is not currently a zone of military conflict, Russia’s threatening rhetoric will undoubtedly have long-term consequences for regional security and cooperation in the Circumpolar North. Currently, Russia holds the chairmanship in the Arctic Council, the leading intergovernmental organization promoting cooperation in the Arctic. But any harsh sanctions or further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine will be retaliated by Russia, and the essence of what is required for any form of cooperation will be eliminated. Armed conflict in the Arctic will cause irreversible damage to regional cooperation: jeopardizing the diverse coordinated efforts of Arctic states in areas such as search and rescue operation, environmental protection, prevention of illegal fishing, and more. The potential destruction of the existing patchwork structure of governance in the Arctic looms ominously close. (Foreign Policy)
Joint Drilling Projects with Russia are Suspended
As first reported by the Barents Observer on February 28, Norwegian companies are terminating partnership with Russian oil and gas companies in Arctic oil field development. After 30 years of cooperation, major Norwegian state-owned energy company Equinor has decided to stop new investments in the Nenets Kharyaga oil field and exit Russian operations by leaving joint ventures. The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association has also suspended the membership of the regional subsidiaries of Lukoil and Rosneft. (The Barents Observer, The Barents Observer)
Take 2: Norway’s decision follows the mass termination of such joint ventures in the area by foreign companies, with oil formerly a key area of cooperation between Russia and the West. The development of the region’s hydrocarbon potential brings significant monetary value to remote Arctic regions and the national budgets of Arctic nations- but also proven damage to the region’s fragile ecological architecture. Sustainable and safe actions in this field requires the strengthening of international cooperation in the Circumpolar North. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine not only jeopardizes this kind of action but also poses new challenges. Russia notably fulfills 30-40% of oil demand across Europe each year. Even before our current events, some speculated that the best way to stop Putin’s aggression is to increase fossil fuel production in other regions and wean off Russian gas. Norway’s Equinor has increased production in the North Sea fields; a re-opening of the Keystone Pipeline is also back on the U.S. discussion field. However, each of these new -or reastablished – projects posed as a solution to dependence on foreign fossil fuels would take years to have an effect, to say nothing of the increasingly desperate warnings we receive from the scientific community. There is no such thing as a short-term fossil fuel play. Above all, with key countries like China still available for Russia to turn to, the impact of any sanctions could ultimately make little difference. (Al Jazeera, Reuters, The Guardian)
Scientists Map Arctic Aerosols to Better Understand Climate Change in the Region
As reported by the Paul Scherrer Institute on March 1, researchers from several Swiss institutions have examined the origin and chemical composition of aerosols in the Russian and Canadian Arctic. After analyzing the collected samples, the international research effort found that most organic (carbon containing) aerosols in the region are anthropogenic in nature, especially during the winter period when emissions from fuel-energy extraction and mining operations in North America, Eastern Europe, and Russia are transported to the Arctic in a phenomenon known as Arctic haze. (Paul Scherrer Institut)
Take 3: In recent decades, major environmental events have taken place in the Arctic. The delicate balance between its physical, chemical and ecological parameters makes the region an indicator of global changes. That is why the Arctic is a key region for understanding climate change. Tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, known as aerosols, play an important role in heating and cooling the planet and affect climate. However, Arctic aerosols have been studied extremely poorly, especially organic ones. Until now, scientists have had little data on these aerosols, despite the fact that they make up almost 50% of all particulate matter in the atmosphere. The new study is therefore important, because it contains unique data that will help scientists better understand climate change in the Arctic and develop effective pollution-mitigation measures. By determining most aerosols – both organic and inorganic – as anthropogenic in origin, the study elucidates how the region is threatened by a powerful anthropogenic force. The impact could be the extinction of many species of vegetation and animals in the region, and a threat to the existence and livelihoods of the Arctic Indigenous peoples that depend on them. (CIRES, Nature Geoscience)
AIG Stops Insuring Arctic Energy Exploration Activities
As reported by Reuters on March 1, the U.S. insurer American International Group (AIG) has said that as part of its decision to no longer cover the construction of any new coal-fired power plants, thermal coal mines or oil sands, it will also stop providing insurance cover and investments for any new Arctic energy exploration activities. The statement was made as part of the company’s new agenda on transitioning to fully use renewable energy sources for its operations, and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its global underwriting and investment portfolios by 2050 or earlier. (Reuters)
Take 4: Responsible economic development and sustainable business in the Arctic is a crucial step in reaching the global Paris Climate Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable use of Arctic natural resources can provide Arctic people and the world with the clean energy, food, and minerals needed for the green transition. Climate change must not lead to the conclusion of economic activity in the Arctic, so it is important that banks and insurance companies urgently take steps to understand the risks associated with fossil fuel development in the region. Such actions taken by the AIG already show a focus on the realities of climate change, as well as the desire for a transparent path to sustainable development. Similar policies banning financial support for oil production in the Arctic have already been adopted by several major banks in the US, Canada, and Europe. Among them is AXIS Capital, a leading insurer from Bermuda, which confirmed its withdrawal of support for drilling activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge last year. The actions represent significant progress in efforts to protect an Arctic ecosystem tremendously threatened by drilling, oil spills, pipeline leaks, and shipping accidents, and to overcome our shared climate emergency. We need more companies that respect both the Arctic way of life and its ecosystems. (Arctic Today, Insurance Business)
Yamal Team is Suspended from the Arctic Winter Games 2023
As reported by CBC News on March 1, the International Arctic Winter Games Committee has suspended a team from Yamal, Russia, from its biennial international circumpolar sport competition for Northern and Arctic athletes. In a statement, the committee said that the decision was made in solidarity with Ukraine, as its territories are being invaded by Russia. Yamal is excluded from the next Games, which will be held next in 2023 in Canada in Northern Alberta’s Wood Buffalo region. (CBC News)
Take 5: The uniqueness of the Arctic Winter Games lies in its promotion of young, non-professional athletes across seven Arctic states. The event also prioritizes the preservation and awareness-raising of traditional sports practiced by Indigenous Peoples in the North. In addition to advancing the circumpolar development of sports and promoting socio-cultural exchange, competitions of this level increase the prestige and tourist attractiveness of the host region. Russia’s war in Ukraine is already causing unprecedented damage to this cultural cooperation. However, shutting down these youth connections across the circumpolar region is unlikely to help to resolve the situation between Russia and Ukraine. On the contrary, it is more important than ever to lay a foundation to unite Arctic youth across all borders. In only a few years, it is these young people who will become the adult citizens and decision-makers that will have to try to regain a climate of cooperation in the North. Instead, what we are observing at the moment is how young people are being punished for the fatal decisions of the Russian government- an action which has no logical justification. (Nunatsiaq News)