The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of November 23, 2020
Norway Releases New White Paper on the High North
Today, Friday November 24, the government of Norway is set to present its new white paper on the High North, outlining the foreign and security policy situation in the region, and the country’s priorities going forward. Both Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide will be attending the white paper launch in Alta, Norway, and this marks nine years since such a paper was last released. Prior to that 2011 white paper, a white paper was released in 2005. This was the first time Norway released a white paper on the High North. (Altaposten, Regjeringen.no)
Take 1: It is surprising that it has taken Norway so long to come with a new and updated Arctic white paper on the High North as it is the country’s number one foreign policy priority area, and a lot has changed over the years. The area that once was so remote and such a distant reality to many has become accessible with the melting of the Arctic sea ice. In the last years we have seen an increase in tourism and commercial shipping, more competition for Arctic resources, an increased level of military activity in the region, a growing interest from non-Arctic states in everything Arctic related, changing weather patterns, more extreme weather events, changes to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and the impact it has on people. Based on all that one would have thought that the government of Norway would have come out with an updated Arctic white paper a little sooner, and perhaps gotten on a roll of publishing these more often, but the reality is that it hasn’t happened. Today will therefore be a big day for Norway, and while we still have to wait a couple hours for the official launch, we know that the government has been thorough in its work of involving and seeking feedback from people, businesses and research communities in the north.
U.S. Icebreaker Returning to Arctic Waters
At the end of last week, the U.S. Naval Institute covered a story about how the U.S. Coast Guard for the first time in almost five decades will not be supporting scientists, students and support personnel on scientific missions in Antarctica, but instead will operate their heavy icebreaker Polar Star in the Arctic near Alaska. The COVID-19 pandemic is the key reason for the switch as it has forced the country and other nations to scale back their plans for the coming season and reduce personnel and supplies. The ice breaker will deploy in December. (USNI News)
Take 2: Highlighting the fact that the Coast Guard will not be going to Antarctica this year as the previous 50 years, and the fact that it has been 26 years since the Coast Guard has been operating in the Arctic Ocean, clearly shows us again how the U.S. has disproportionately been prioritizing the two polar regions over the years. The U.S. has been well criticized for the lack of engagement in the Arctic, but recent military exercises in the region, US interest in strengthening ties with Greenland, the appointment of a new U.S. coordinator for the Arctic region, and the reinstatement of the U.S. Navy’s 2nd fleet in Norfolk, Virginia to oversee and control operations in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, are examples that make us see a different U.S. emerging. It is a United States that has started to understand the need and importance of a stronger U.S. Arctic presence. While the deployment of Polar Star to Arctic waters definitely adds to the list of engagements in the region, keep in mind that the Polar Star is expected to return to Antarctica the following years when and if the COVID situation normalizes. Even though this almost certainly will be the case, the fact that the Polar Star now is Arctic bound, even just for a season when the situation allows it, sends a powerful message to the rest of the world. The U.S. is flexing its muscles and showing that it is alert.
Tesla Opens Northernmost Supercharger Station
On November 20, it was announced that Tesla had opened the world’s northernmost Supercharger station in Varangerbotn, Norway, 400 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle in Troms and Finnmark county. The station has three V3 250 kW stalls with enough space between them to accommodate future Cybertrucks with trailers and possible Semi trucks. Ten other similar Supercharger stations are to be opened at other locations inside the Arctic Circle. These include five other stations in Northern Norway, in Karasjok, Kautokeino, Skaidi, Alta and Evenes, three stations in Northern Finland, in Lapland, Karesuvanto and Inari, and two stations in Northern Sweden, in Abisko and Jokkmokk. (Teslastats.no, The Barents Observer)
Take 3: The new Supercharger station is a very welcome sight in the North. The same will be the case with Tesla’s other Supercharger stations and a network of 17 high-power 175 kW chargers and eight 50 kW fast chargers that are currently being deployed by local power companies in Troms and Finnmark county. In general, it will make things more efficient for people than having to rely on wall sockets to charge a vehicle. A network of stations is key overall because there are long distances between settlements or towns in the north. In addition, it is important to remember that with Arctic conditions like dark snow-covered winter roads, low temperatures, and hazardous weather conditions, the range of the battery can be shortened. Having a reliable and comprehensive network of charging stations will therefore be important, and it will also help boost the sale of electric cars in the region. So far only 82 of Tesla’s 53,700 cars sold in Norway have been registered in the Troms and Finnmark county. As for electric cars in general, Norway has seen over 50 percent of its overall car sales be electric, while Troms and Finnmark county specifically saw 11 percent for the year. It is clear that there is a long way to go.
Greenland Gets Psychotherapists
On November 24, it was reported that 25 people from Greenland had recently completed their four-year education in becoming certified psychotherapists in Nuuk. This is the first time that psychotherapists have ever been educated in Greenland. Two more residents are set to finish their education in the near future. (High North News, Sermitsiaq)
Take 4: Educating psychotherapists is a big deal for Greenland as the territory has long struggled with issues like high school dropout rates, sexual abuse, alcohol abuse and the world’s highest suicide rate. Having a whole class of certified psychotherapists is a way to combat such problems, and it clearly shows the government’s increasing efforts to improve conditions for children and families that struggle on this front. Hopefully with time the alarming statistics of for example suicide that currently stands at more than twice the rate of any independent nation, will go down.
Soccer Victory for the North
On Sunday November 23, Bodø/Glimt, a soccer team in the Norwegian Arctic, became the winner of Norway’s top national football league Eliteserien, even with five more games remaining. So far, the team has 22 wins, two draws and one loss, but with the team in second place currently standing at 18 points below, it makes it impossible to beat the Arctic team. (High North News, The New York Times)
Take 5: The win for Bodø/Glimt is a historic achievement. It is the first time ever that a soccer team from Northern Norway has won such a title. So far this has brought a lot of international press coverage like for example the New York Times and BBC. The coverage puts the spotlight on a region that oftentimes is seen by many as a distant reality and a distant place. Stories like this help create awareness and curiosity among people to put the Arctic on the map of future places to visit.