The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of May 27, 2019

Puffins Feel the Effects of Climate Change

On May 29, the scientific journal PLOS ONE published a study that concluded that the mass mortality events, which are increasing in frequency and magnitude among the puffin population can be linked to climate change. The study notes that from October 2016 – January 2017 a large number of Puffins died from starvation, and their bodies washed ashore on St. Paul Island, Alaska. What makes this event even more unusual is that the birds should have migrated elsewhere by that time of the year. Scientists speculate that climate change has alerted marine ecosystems, reducing in abundance the pollock and krill on the southern Bering Sea shelf, a main staple in the Puffin diet. The birds potentially did not migrate because they had to stay longer to try and get the necessary nutrients. In the end, many just simply succumbed to starvation (Inside Climate News, Mashable, PLOS ONE).

Take 1: The puffin incident mirrors similar mass mortality events that occurred in 2014 and in 2015. Inone event, 400,000 cassin’s auklets died and more than 500,000 common murres were found dead. Changes in the ecosystem are having profound effects on the food chain. These effects are not just felt by wildlife. The 450 people on St. Paul, most who belong to the Aleut tribe, depend on subsistence hunting. The changes that are occurring are reducing their food sources and threatening their culture. In such areas in the Arctic, indigenous people that depend on the land are the first ones forced to adapt to the changing climate. Their changing lives serve as a warning of what can happen to larger communities outside of these regions as the world’s climate changes.

The U.S. Second Fleet is Back Up and Running

The U.S Navy announced this week that its reinstated Second Fleet based out of Norfolk Virginia is now operational with enough staff to command the necessary ships for Arctic waters. The fleet was reestablished last year after being disbanded in 2011 with the intent to oversee U.S. warships as they conduct operations on the U.S. East coast and off the coasts of Russia and Norway. The 2nd Fleet will take part in wargames next month in the Baltic Sea (City News, RT).

Take 2: Operational this reinstated fleet should be put into context. The 2nd Fleet currently does not have its own warships and has about 250 personnel. The fleet as of right now is more of a command and control unit based out of Virginia, potentially having to borrow ships and personnel for the wargames in June. Still, even if it has a slow start, the reinstatement of the 2nd Fleet shows U.S military commitment to Atlantic/Arctic naval security. The U.S. understands that the Arctic waters have the potential to become heavily contested in the near future.

Aerial War Games in the Arctic

This week U.S. fighter jets participated in aerial war games over Arctic skies. The F-18s from the U.S were joined with other jets from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. In total 140 aircraft and 1,000 personnel participated, and the British provided refueling capabilities. Military planners described it as a deterrence exercise that focused on an imaginary enemy, but they hoped that Russia was watching (CBS News).

Take 3: It was just last week that Russian bombers were intercepted as they approached U.S. airspace over Alaska. Russia and the West are playing a game with each other, showing off their capabilities in an effort to perhaps intimidate the other. While this might not directly result in a future conflict, it does raise tensions and chances of misunderstanding occurring. When two sides that are ideologically or politically opposed to one another prepare for war, the results shouldn’t surprise anybody. While it’s important for military drills to occur, it’s also even more important for continuing dialogue to occur among the various parties. The focus should always be on resolving differences rather than exacerbating them by needless bluster.

Canada Ratifies High Arctic Commercial Fishing Ban

This week Canada ratified an agreement that was signed in October of this year, that will ban commercial fishing in the Arctic for 16 years. The deal will not be enforceable until the other nine governments that have signed onto it ratify it. Those governments include Norway, the United States, China, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Denmark. The EU, Russia, and Canada are the only ones that have ratified the agreement so far. Another aspect of the agreement is that it seeks to include the participation of Arctic indigenous peoples, recognizing that their local knowledge is of critical importance for the conservation of the region (Global News).

Take 4: This agreement is a rarity among signed treaties as it seeks to be preemptive on an issue that doesn’t currently exist. No commercial fishing takes place in the High Arctic. Yet, with fish stocks dwindling and the climate changing, the fear exists that fishers will soon begin making their way up north. This potentially can be a good example of countries coming together to deal with a potential future issue. Now it remains to be seen if the remaining countries will put some authority behind their signatures. 

Russia’s Newest Icebreaker, A Bet for the Future

This week Russia launched the nuclear icebreaker Ural, a type LK-60Ya ship capable of traveling the Northern Sea Route (NSR) all year long. The icebreaker is the largest and most powerful ever constructed, and can operate in deeper waters as well as coastal and river areas. The ship has more than 81,000 horsepower, two nuclear reactors, and can break through three meters of ice (High North News).

Take 5: In the last two years Russia has produced two other type LK-60Ya class icebreakers, all in an effort to be ready for increase in traffic along the NSR. President Putin has repeatedly stated that the goal is to have 80 tons of cargo pass through the route by 2024. In desiring to meet this goal Russia plans for two more similar icebreakers to be constructed at a cost of $1.5 billion. The U.S. on the other hand lags way behind such efforts, currently aiming to launch just one icebreaker in the next five years. Perhaps, U.S. policy makers or politicians don’t believe that the Arctic region will be vitally important in the future. Or, perhaps there is a lack of creative thinking about future prospects. Either way Russia is clearly betting and investing in an Arctic focused future.