The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of June 4, 2018

• Russia and Norway Working Together

Last week a joint coast guard exercise between Russia and Norway took place in the Barents Sea. The annual Exercise Barents is the only bilateral exercise between the two countries and provides an opportunity for both military and civilian forces from both countries to coordinate together and share resources. The two-phase exercise focused on two scenarios. In the first phase a simulated ship sank and left a crew of 10 sailors (plastic dummies) stranded in the water. Coordination had to occur between Russian and Norwegian ships, helicopters, and other assets to try and rescue the sailors in time. The second phase simulated an oil spill from a fishing ship, utilizing thousands of liters of fake oil. Teams from both countries had to coordinate jointly on limiting the spill and collecting what was already in the water (Arctic.ru, TASS, The Independent Barents Observer).

Take 1: A bilateral exercise between a NATO member and Russia is a rare sight these days with the rising tensions. Yet, the annual exercise is a result of a treaty signed in 1995 between the two countries that aimed to improve cooperation in search and rescue missions. Such exercises are necessary as accidents can and have occurred in that part of the Barents Sea. The sea does not take notice of borders. In 2007, 12 Russian seamen were rescued when rocks crushed their ship. The Norwegian helicopter Squadron that rescued them entered Russian airspace and took the sailors back into Norway for medical care. Exercises like this help both countries coordinate efforts, save lives, and reduce the risks of dangerous misunderstandings occurring.

• Norway and Russia resume dialogue

On May 31, The Norwegian parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence paid its first high-ranking political visit to Moscow for the first time in over seven years, following a Russian parliament visit to Oslo in June 2016. It was the first visit since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. During the visit, the Russian and Norwegian parliamentarians managed to build a constructive dialogue in the interests of the peoples of the two countries. According to the parties, mutual interest still exists in continuing cooperation in fisheries, search and rescue, ecology, energy and development of the Arctic (The Independent Barents Observer, The Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation).

Take 2: Norway continues to be proactive in maintaining a positive relationship with Russia. In establishing and communicating on areas of cooperation, the country ensures that it has a line of communication to an increasingly restive Russia. The facts on the ground are simple. Norway does not have the luxury of space in dealing with Russia. By building constructive dialogue on issues that both countries share, the risks of unnecessary tensions or misunderstandings can be lessened.

• Extending Air Deterrence

Canada has quietly announced that it is extending the Canadian Air Defense Identification Zone (CADIZ) to cover the entirety of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This is the area that Canada monitors for air traffic approaching its sovereign airspace. It is part of a commitment to support the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). NORAD has been put on alert as Russia has stepped up efforts to patrol the Arctic with supersonic bombers. The new Air Defense Identification Zone stretches between a hundred to a couple hundred nautical miles offshore to give NORAD enough time to respond to unidentified aircrafts that approach Canadian airspace (Government of Canada, Radio Canada International).

Take 3: Russia has its eye set on the Arctic and has become more aggressive the last couple years. The country has been developing the Northern Sea Route, has re-established Soviet military bases, built new icebreakers, invested in Arctic research, explored and exploited Arctic natural resources, deployed a missile early-warning radar system, and modernized its planes, submarines and long-range missiles. It has therefore become increasingly more important to counter Russia’s activities and deter any threat and use of force. Extending the CADIZ is a way to do so. It shows Canada’s commitment to the Arctic and sends a message to Russia that unidentified aircraft will be intercepted if entering Canadian territory anywhere in the Arctic.

• Finnish Minister Questions Viability of Arctic Sea Route

A senior official in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Rene Soderman, has recently gone on the record to state that despite melting sea ice it will still not be practical for large container ships to traverse through the Arctic. Even without ice, sub-zero temperatures affect the movement of larger vessels, impeding movement and decreasing their speeds. This could make the arctic route less practical than other routes. In the same article, Soderman goes on to state that he welcomes the increasing role that India is playing in the region and its commitment to climate change and environmental protection (The Hindu).

Take 4: Minster Soderman is right to address some of the disadvantages that still exist for larger container ships wanting to use the Arctic as a shortcut. Often the assumption is made that it will be smooth sailing once all the ice is gone, but understanding the risks and the potential negatives can help companies and states plan better strategies. Finland holds the chairmanship position on the Arctic Council till 2019, and has a goal of drafting a long-term plan. The plan hopes to not only address various shipping concerns but also seeks to address the growing involvement of outside states such as India.

• Drones for Science

A team of German researchers just finished performing measurements in Ny-Ålesund on Spitsbergen, the northernmost village in the world. They have been investigating the atmosphere by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) since mid-April. The research aimed to provide insight into ground-level air layers that are not monitored by other measuring stations. The results so far have shown that new particles in the air can later evolve to clouds and have an influence on climate change (Phys.org, ScienceDaily).

Take 5: Scientists still don’t know why the Arctic is warming more than twice as strong as other regions on the earth. The new measurements will hopefully shed more light on this mystery, but first a detailed analysis of the measurement data is necessary. There is a chance that further analysis can help determine how particles influence climate change and how there might be a way to reduce some of its negative effects.