The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of February 24, 2020
The Arctic Ban on Heavy Oil
Last week, an International Maritime Organization (IMO) working group, the seventh session of the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR7), met in London to finally determine the future of heavy fuel oil in Arctic shipping. It was recommended that the use of thick, tar-like fuel should be banned in the Arctic starting July 1, 2024. The recommendation was submitted as a report to IMO’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee 76 for consideration and approval and it is expected that a ban will be finalized in October of this year (High North News, The Maritime Executive).
Take 1: While it looks like the IMO has made progress on controlling heavy fuel oil use in the Arctic, it should also be noted that there are several exceptions to the proposed ban. First, Arctic states are able to wave the ban for ships that fly their own flag while operating in domestic waters until July 1, 2029. Second, all double-hulled vessels are exempt as well. These exemptions have understandably been harshly criticized by both environmental organizations and representatives of indigenous communities who advocate for a full ban to protect the indigenous communities and the environment. If these voices are not heard and more action is not taken, the reality is that with the rapid growth of shipping, the use of HFO will only continue to increase, not only until 2024, but even after that because of the many loopholes that exist.
Banks are Starting to Say No
On February 25, it was announced that JPMorgan Chase, a multinational investment bank, will no longer finance oil and gas development in the Arctic, and will stop investment in thermal coal mines and coal-fired power plants anywhere in the world. Instead, the bank plans to facilitate $200 billion to advance the objectives of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. This comes not long after Goldman Sachs became the first major U.S. bank to announce that it will not be financing drilling in the Arctic, and 16 U.S. Democratic Senators decided to send a letter to 11 major U.S. banks requesting them to stop fossil fuel development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Alaska’s News Source, Sierra).
Take 2: JPMorgan Chase’s decisions are celebrated and mourned by many. Alaska-based environmental and indigenous organizations are happy that their voices finally have been heard. They have for decades been fighting to keep oil and gas drilling out of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Others though, including oil and gas companies, and Alaska’s Congressional Delegation, are not happy with JPMorgan Chase’s announcement. They believe it can weaken the U.S. economy, renew the U.S.’ dependence on foreign sources of energy, and potentially shift Arctic development to nations with lower environmental standards that later can come back and hurt the U.S., for instance by making the coasts more vulnerable to oil spills as Russia develops and ships resources through the Arctic.
The “Doomsday Vault” Grows
On Tuesday, February 25, it was reported that 60,000 new seed samples from 36 different regional and international institutions have been added to the Arctic global seed vault in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, bringing the number of seed varieties to more than 1 million, and the number of species to 5,000. The new seed deposits include staple crops like wheat and rice, wild varieties of European apple trees, 27 wild plants from Prince Charles’s Highgrove estate, and beans, squash, and corn from the Native American tribe Cherokee Nation (Science Alert, The Guardian).
Take 3: The addition of seeds to the Arctic seed vault becomes more and more important as the pace of climate change and biodiversity loss increases. Preserving seeds are absolutely crucial as they in the future might be able to save food crops that are at risk of extinction due to climate change, wars and natural disasters. This is in fact the reason why the vault has been nicknamed the “doomsday vault.” Its usefulness was demonstrated in 2015 when researchers were able to retrieve duplicates of grains that had been lost in the destruction of Aleppo during Syria’s civil war, and will be as essential in other situations in the future as well.
As Food Shrinks Polar Bears Grow Desperate
On February 25, Russian scientists from the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution reported that polar bear cannibalism is on the rise in Russia’s Arctic. This is due to the growing human activity and development in the Arctic region that shrink the polar bears’ traditional hunting grounds and lead to a lack of food. While this is certainly the case, the scientists also mention that the rise in cases can be partly blamed on more people working in the Arctic reporting polar bears killing and eating each other than in previous years (The Guardian, The Moscow Times).
Take 4: The increase of cannibalism among polar bears should be of worry to people as it shows how the balance of a unique and important ecosystem is changing and is under threat by humans. The polar bear is the apex predator in their ecosystem, and they keep the populations of other species in check. For example, the loss of polar bears can result in an overpopulation of seals, and that can lead to a decrease or extinction of fish populations. Such knowledge should motivate people to work to reduce their impact on the Arctic environment and ecosystem, and encourage them to carefully monitor the changes.
Coronavirus in Tromsø
On February 26 it was reported that a woman tested positive for Coronavirus in the Arctic city of Tromsø, Norway. She recently had returned from a trip to an affected region in China. The woman, who lives in Tromsø, has been placed in quarantine. Authorities are following any leads on contacts with people she may have had. The Public Health Institute stressed that the person is very unlikely to pose a threat to others. She is doing well and currently reports no symptoms of disease (The Barents Observer).
Take 5: As the world continues to react to Coronavirus it is safe to say that no region outside of Antarctica remains unaffected. Travelers need to be careful as they travel. This is the second case in northern Scandinavia, and probably won’t be the last considering the spread. Governments need to remain vigilant in their efforts at informing the population of what people need to look out for, how to avoid the virus, and what preventative steps can be taken.