The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of January 24, 2022
Russian Navy Conducts Drills to Protect Northern Sea Route
Reuters reported on January 26 that Russia’s Northern Fleet has entered the Barents Sea and begun conducting military exercises. The Northern Fleet released a statement in which it said that the exercises are being done to assess the combat readiness of the fleet to protect the Northern Sea Route. The drills will include countering imaginary terrorist groups, including how to defend and attack them. The exercise involves 30 ships and over 1200 personnel and is part of multiple naval exercises announced by the Russian fleet last week. (Reuters)
Take 1: The military exercises are important because they are likely to escalate the tense relations between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) bloc, and the Russian Federation. As military interest in the Arctic increases, Russia’s sudden announcement is likely to cause concern for the western military alliance, particularly as NATO itself is planning to participate in a major Arctic military exercise in March: the Norwegian-led Exercise Cold Response. The current diplomatic efforts between Russia and the West over the Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s border are also likely to be strained, as more uncertainty is created over the intention of the Russian armed forces. Simultaneously, the mission statement released by the Northern Fleet illuminates the importance Russia places on the protection and operational stability of its expanding Northern Sea Route. The official focus of the exercise is aimed entirely at safeguarding this trade route: improving coordination between tactical groups of ships and units of coastal troops, while also ensuring the protection of communications along the Northern Sea Route. Nevertheless, the chosen threat of an imaginary terrorist group rather than a specific country may be a deliberate decision to avoid unnecessarily antagonising NATO further. (Reuters, United States Naval Institute)
Inuit Circumpolar Council Suggestion Adopted by International Maritime Organisation
Nunatsiaq News reported on January 25 that the Inuit Circumpolar Council’s (ICC) recommendation on underwater noise pollution has been adopted at the meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) this week. Marking the first time that the ICC has made a direct change to IMO policy, the new guideline recommendations are due to be presented in 2023. The ICC has set up a team to work on the policy recommendations and collect intelligence from local Inuit communities about how underwater noise pollution is affecting them. (Nunatsiaq News)
Take 2: The Inuit Circumpolar Council has been able to directly influence the agenda of the International Maritime Organisation for the first time. Despite its provisional membership status, the ICC’s membership in the IMO is an important milestone for the organisation as it ensures the voices of the Arctic’s regional people are heard. As the council’s provisional status lasts for two years, this is an opportunity for the ICC to make a difference at an international level. It is also important due to the fact that sound pollution disproportionately affects Arctic waters as opposed to warmer areas. This means that the increase in shipping caused by the warming Arctic temperatures and infrastructure developments are impacting local wildlife in ways that require further study. Getting the local Inuit’s perspective on the harm caused by noise pollution will help alleviate the issues, especially where hunting for wildlife makes up an important part of the lifestyle and economy of the local people. (Nunatsiaq)
Russian Arctic Company Stocks Drop Over Fear of Ukraine Conflict
The Barents Observer reported on January 24 that the Russian stock market has seen a substantial drop in the value of stocks held in Russian firms operating in the Arctic over fear of conflict with Ukraine. Major gas and oil producers Gazprom, Rosneft and Novatek have seen their stock value drop respectively by 11%, 8%, and 9%. Mining firms Nornickel and Severstal have also reported drops in their shareholder value by 7% and 8%. The speculation has also caused a run on foreign currency, with the Russian Central Bank (RCB) halting all purchases of foreign currency on Monday, January 24. (The Barents Observer)
Take 3: The effects of the Ukrainian crisis are already starting to impact the welfare of Russian companies in the Arctic. With a significant proportion of oil and natural gas being extracted from the region, the drop in value of the companies extracting in the region is likely to increase should sanctions be put in place between the West and Russia. However, the results are likely to go beyond merely impacting Russian companies. With many international firms (including American ones) operating in the region, any form of conflict is likely to significantly impact the economic projections for companies doing business in the Arctic. Among other lobbying organisations, The American Petroleum Institute has called on the U.S. Biden Administration to make sure potential sanctions have a reduced impact on American firms operating in Russia. (Reuters, The Barents Observer)
Ice Cover in Northern Sweden Requiring Emergency Compensation for Sámi Reindeer Herders
Sveriges Radio reported on January 24 that 22 Sámi reindeer herders in Northern Sweden are having to apply for emergency compensation from the Sámi Parliament to purchase food, as icy conditions have left their livestock unable to search for food by themselves. The Sámi Parliament noted that the high number of applications for compensation submitted prior to the New Year is highly unusual. (Sveriges Radio)
Take 4: The Sámi people’s way of life is increasingly coming under threat due to climate change; the temperature swings brought about by climate change make the traditional profession of reindeer herding increasingly difficult. As temperature swings create further uncertainty, the emergency compensation packages introduced by the Sámi Parliament are likely to become more frequent in the coming years. However, this solution is unsustainable. Among others, Chair of the Muonio reindeer herding area, Hans Holma, has expressed concern that reindeer’s behaviour changes when they are fed with alternatives such as hay and pellets, as it makes them less able to find food on their own. Simultaneously, as reindeer have started migrating further in search of areas of land without ice cover, herding itself is not only becoming more difficult, but risks becoming economically untenable as the herders have to track their animals down at a high cost. (Sveriges Radio)
Finnish Animal Rights Organization Expose Animal Cruelty at Arctic Fox Fur Farms
Euro News reported on January 26 that the Finnish animal rights group Oikeutta Elaimille (Justice for Animals) has released footage revealing animal welfare problems at a number of the country’s Arctic fox fur farms. When pressed for comment, The Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry responded that suspicions of animal neglect will be subject to investigation. The Finnish Fur Breeders Association have dismissed the footage as deliberately misleading, and criminal in nature due to being obtained while trespassing. (Euro News)
Take 5: This exposé showcases the continued vulnerability of Arctic wildlife. While no longer endangered as a species, the captive breeding of Arctic foxes in Finland’s western Ostrobothnia region outside of their native circumpolar habitat, highlights the lack of animal welfare regulation in the country that produces some 96% of all fur in the EU. The captive breeding simultaneously also threatens the Arctic fox population at large as it heightens the risk of disease and inbreeding. The concerns this raises are numerous, but one of the most significant is one that is not unique to Finland- but all Arctic nations: the degree to which business interests take precedence over conservationism. The destruction of reindeer herding grounds in Norway and Sweden and the oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska are both examples of the threat that business interests pose to the local fauna of the Arctic. This also highlights a deeper political issue. Polling in the case of ending Arctic fox fur trade is overwhelmingly positive, yet political gridlock in Finland keeps the issue from being treated- despite the governing coalition including Finland’s Green Party. Making politics more responsive to the issues of climate change, conservationism and animal welfare is likely to become a major challenge of the 21st century, and one which if left unresolved, will be the end of the stability of the Arctic environment. (Euractiv, Euro News, Greenpeace, WWF)