The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of 20 February, 2023

Chinese Monitoring Buoys Discovered in the Canadian Arctic

As reported by The Globe and Mail on February 21, the Canadian Armed Forces announced that it has found Chinese monitoring buoys in its Arctic waters. The Department of National Defense stated that the buoys were located as part of Operation LIMPID, the military’s mission to provide early detection of security threats. The instruments were described by officials as capable of mapping the seabed and measuring ice thickness as well as monitoring US submarine activity. (The Globe and Mail)

Take 1: Following several other confirmed attempts at surveillance in Canadian territory, the discovery of the monitoring buoys raises concerns about China’s expanding presence and increasing activity in the Arctic. The country, which identifies itself as a “near-Arctic state,” has taken a strong commercial interest in the Arctic, especially as climate change makes the region more accessible for resource extraction and maritime shipping. However, the Chinese military has also prioritized intelligence gathering and capacity building to defend China’s growing interests in the region, particularly through dual-purpose technologies or equipment that have both civilian and military applications. For instance, China has invested in the construction of a nuclear icebreaker, which could support research and shipping but would also be its first nuclear-powered surface vessel. Meteorological equipment, like balloons, have also been used for surveillance. Many Arctic states and NATO countries have long recognized the risk that Chinese infrastructure and equipment could be used for military purposes. These security concerns were one of the main reasons that the governments of Canada and Denmark recently blocked deals for Chinese mining operations. Yet, as China continues to expand its scientific research and economic activities in the Arctic, countries should remain cautious about potential threats like the buoys that were recently discovered. While these technologies should be monitored, China has so far played a key role in the environmental protection of the Arctic, and these incidents should also not severely hinder vital Arctic cooperation. (Brookings, RAND Corporation, The Arctic Institute)

Tromsø Sàmi House One Step Closer to Realization

As reported by High North News on February 20, the Municipality of Tromsø, the Troms and Finnmark County Council, and the Sàmi Parliament have formally established a company to found the Sàmi House, a dedicated cultural arena and meeting space to display, develop, and preserve Sàmi language and culture. The company is equally owned by the three institutions and has a capital of 1 million NOK. The company’s board will now work to appoint a general manager, determine a location for the Sàmi House, arrange financing, and plan the exhibitions. (High North News)

Take 2: Like many other Arctic Indigenous communities, the Sàmi people have faced aggressive policies of assimilation and discrimination. In Norway, where around 55,000 Sàmi reside, a policy of Norwegianization was implemented to create an ethnically and culturally uniform ‘Norwegian’ North. The government sought to eradicate the culture, language, and history of the Sàmi through the settlement of native lands, Norwegian schooling, and the disruption of traditional practices like reindeer herding. These policies had lasting consequences on the treatment, culture, and language of the Sàmi. Yet, there have also been efforts to rectify these actions and better protect the rights of the Sàmi. In 1989, the Sàmi Parliament was opened, providing political representation for the first time. Norway was also the first country to ratify the ILO Convention No. 169 on Indigenous Rights, implementing some of the provisions of the convention through the 2005 Finnmark Act which transferred land back to Finnmark’s inhabitants, particularly the Sàmi. Despite this progress, the Sàmi continue to be marginalized, and the Sàmi language remains endangered. Therefore, the company’s founding is an important milestone for the Sàmi people, and the fact that the Sàmi Parliament owns an equal share of the company highlights their role as equal partners. This announcement also brings the vital Sàmi House project one step closer to completion, which has spent thirty years as merely an idea. (International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Waikato Law Review)

Commission Approves Data for Russia’s Maritime Claims in the Arctic

As reported by Arctic Today on February 17, the UN Commission for the Limitation of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has issued an approving recommendation for the majority of Russia’s claim to the seabed in central parts of the Arctic Ocean. The Commission validated the data and methodology Russia used to support its claim, except for a portion near the North Pole that it determined was not sufficiently documented. The CLCS still has to evaluate the claims from several other Arctic states, and the Commission stated that it will not serve as an arbitrator over any valid but overlapping claims. (Arctic Today)

Take 3: The recommendation by the CLCS concludes another stage in Russia’s plans to expand its claim over portions of the Arctic Ocean. For decades, Russia has conducted extensive expeditions to demonstrate that a vast area of the Arctic seabed should be incorporated into its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the extension of the EEZ would provide Russia special rights to exploit the natural resources in the area, a key part of Russia’s economic strategy for the Arctic. Russia has been increasingly active in asserting its ambitions over the region, with Russian submarines even planting a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007. Despite these contentious actions and the Commission’s approving recommendations for most of Russia’s claims, it is unlikely that there would be a scramble for resources in the central part of the Arctic. Not only do conditions in the region remain extreme, but Russia’s decision to submit its claim to the CLCS indicates that it is willing to adhere to the peaceful delimitation of the seabed. While the Commission’s decision is an achievement for Russia, it is also important for Canada and Denmark, which have competing claims over the area. Should their claims be approved as well, it will be up to the three countries to negotiate the Arctic’s maritime boundaries. (Brookings, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, NOAA)

Another Water Crisis: Iqaluit Apartment Without Water for Two Weeks

As reported by Nunatsiaq News on February 17, an apartment building in Iqaluit has been without running water for nearly two weeks. The building’s water has been off since February 4, when the City of Iqaluit shut down the entire water system to repair a major leak. Although the city’s water service was restored shortly afterwards, the apartment building, which contains both residential and commercial units, has remained without water. The city stated that the lack of water is likely due to a broken service pipe and is the responsibility of the landlord, property management company Northview. (Nunatsiaq News)

Take 4: Although the situation for the apartment building in Iqaluit is highly concerning, it is one that is typical for the city and other communities in the Canadian Arctic. Much of the region’s drinking water infrastructure is in poor condition due to age and under-investment, resulting in infrastructure that is far below the Canadian national standard. The lack of reliable and safe water infrastructure can lead to contamination and damage that cause extensive water shortages. For instance, Iqaluit declared a state of emergency in 2021 due to fuel contamination, and again in 2022 due to water scarcity. These water emergencies pose a significant risk to Indigenous communities as their remote location can make it difficult to transport critical supplies. Moreover, only a limited number of Arctic communities are served by piped water, with the rest using trucked water due to the lower initial investment necessary for construction and maintenance. Any delay in deliveries could be disastrous, as seen in the Hamlet of Kinngait, Nunavut, when the breakdown of all water trucks left residents without water for more than two days. Without investment in infrastructure, the water systems of these communities will continue to deteriorate. The state of water infrastructure in Iqaluit should compel the Canadian government to strengthen Northern water infrastructure to reduce the risk of emergencies and reliance on trucked water. (BBC News, CBC News, Nunatsiaq News, The Arctic Institute)

Alaska House of Representatives Passes Resolution Supporting Willow Project

As reported by Alaska Beacon on February 20, the Alaska House of Representatives voted unanimously to approve a resolution supporting the Willow oil and gas development project, with the State Senate expected to vote on the resolution within the week. Although the Willow project originally requested permission to drill from five sites in the National Petroleum Reserve, the resolution indicates the legislature’s support for the alternative proposal of three drill sites, which was recommended by the Bureau of Land Management. The Department of the Interior has yet to make a final decision on the project. (Alaska Beacon)

Take 5: The Willow project has sparked significant controversy, especially after the Bureau of Land Management concluded earlier this month that a slimmed-down proposal could allow the project to move forward. Although the project- which would be one of the largest oil and gas developments on federal territory- has gained the support of lawmakers, it has also faced opposition due to its potential environmental consequences. Oil and gas drilling is responsible for large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants like black carbon. With the Arctic already rapidly transforming due to global warming, these emissions would further threaten the vulnerable ecosystem through rising temperatures, sea ice melt, and permafrost thaw. Moreover, infrastructure like pipelines can cause soil contamination or disrupt migration patterns, harming Arctic wildlife and the communities that depend on them for subsistence. While the resolution is largely ceremonial, it received support from some Indigenous communities, particularly from the North Slope, that stated the revenue would help the region transition to renewable energy and sustain subsistence practices. Although economic investment is vital for these communities to develop critical infrastructure, oil and gas production poses too great of a risk to the Arctic region. Rather than approving resource extraction, the government should concentrate on providing alternative investments to support the renewable energy transition and sustainable development initiatives that improve welfare. (Arctic Wildlife Fund, The Guardian, Wilderness Society)