The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of November 4, 2019

Green Groups Return to Court to Stop Arctic Oil Drilling in Norway

Environmental groups, Greenpeace Nordic and Nature and Youth, are back in Norwegian court urging the government to reevaluate the decision to allow oil companies to explore Norwegian Arctic waters. The groups argue that the government’s pledges to address rising global carbon emissions by divesting from fossil fuel investments are not in line with supporting new oil projects. The Norwegian Attorney General, defending the state in the appeal, claims the government’s decision to grant exploration rights may be a political or moral question, but is in full compliance with the law (CBC, Guardian).

Take 1: The ongoing case is a fascinating, emerging branch of law, where activists use a nation’s founding principles to make the case to reduce emissions. With Norway being one of the world’s wealthiest nations, as well as a leading producer of oil and gas, it is fitting that Norwegian activists are paving the way in this movement. While from a conventional legal perspective, Norway may not be responsible for emissions they export abroad, it is hard to argue that Norway’s continued oil exploitation is justifiable morally, especially given the global climate crisis. Environmental groups confronting the Norwegian government in court not only directly place accountability on the Norwegian government to reevaluate the impact of their ruling, but also set a precedent for future similar cases.

Indigenous Canadian Arctic Community Is Literally Falling Into the Ocean

Residents of Tuktoyaktuk, on the northern tip of the Northwest Territories are facing relocation as the land they live on melts accompanied by a rising sea. However, extreme weather conditions in places so far north are impeding attempts at relocation. Despite receiving $800,000 of funding to move about 6 kilometers inland, construction is unable to continue until the ground has solidified enough for heavy equipment to not penetrate the permafrost. Tuktoyaktuk is not the only Indigenous community directly facing the adverse effects of climate change. Examples of very dramatic, quickly progressing erosion can be seen all along the Canadian coast of the Beaufort Sea. At the current rate of erosion, Tuktoyaktuk Island is expected to wash away within the next 20-30 years (Vice).

Take 2: In the midst of the climate crisis, Indigenous people, among other vulnerable groups, are being disproportionately affected. While relocation is an option for those in situations similar to that of the residents of Tuktoyaktuk, ancient traditions are being endangered. Rising ocean levels threaten subsistence fishing and hunting for these coastal communities where these practices are embedded in the lifestyle.

US Senate Passes Bill with Funds for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Senator Lisa Murkowski has long been an advocate for the missing and murdered Indigenous women in rural Alaskan communities. The passing of the bill directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs to coordinate with law enforcement agencies to develop guidelines for data collection. The funding is part of a $332 billion Senate spending bill. Some priorities in the bill include $29 million in EPA grants for Alaska Village water systems. While the Trump administration proposed slashing the village program to $3 million, Murkowski instead fought to boost the program with an extra $5 million over last year’s level (EOTA).

Take 3: The congressional recognition of such a devastating problem for many Indigenous communities indicates more focus being diverted towards important Indigenous issues that are often overlooked. Indigenous rights are not always placed at a high priority level, but bills such as these can draw attention to other similar issues that require congressional action. On a national level, Senator Murkowski’s devotion to ensuring rural Alaskan communities receive the funding they require bodes well for the development of the area.

Arctic Islands 8 Degrees Warmer than Normal

The warmest October in the Russian archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya was recorded with average temperatures up by 8 degrees Celsius. Scientists predict that 2019 may in fact be the warmest ever in the Northern hemisphere. With the warmer Arctic comes less polar ice. In fact, the sea-ice minimum cover in the Arctic this year was second only to the 2012 record minimum. Ice reflects light, whereas the dark ocean absorbs heat from the sun, thereby exacerbating the warming. This is leading to significant amounts of carbon being released from northern permafrost regions during the winter months (Barents Observer, EOTA).

Take 4: The feedback loops in the Arctic are now in full effect, wherein higher average temperatures lead to less sea ice extent and the carbon stored in the sea ice to be released. Increasing amounts of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, are expected to be released into our atmosphere, making the Arctic tundra a new source of greenhouse gas emissions. With these detrimental effects in mind, it is imperative that Arctic nations continue to implement large-scale mitigation to minimize the future consequences.

Russia Shuts Down Arctic Indigenous Rights Group

The Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North/Russian Indigenous Training Center (CSIPN/RITC) has been disbanded by the Moscow city court. The courts ruled to shut down the Indigenous rights group over violations of the country’s NGO law. The CSIPN/RITC provides a wide-range of assistance to the people of the Russian North, Sivera, and the Far East. This is the organization’s second run-in with Russian authorities, as they were blacklisted in 2015 as a “foreign agent.” They were later taken off the list after renouncing their foreign funding. CSIPN/RITC representatives claim the current violations were merely a formality, and the group had already begun fixing its paperwork before the court ruling. This is only the latest in a series of NGO shutdowns. Earlier in the week, Russia’s Supreme Court ordered to disband a veteran activist’s civil rights group (Moscow Times).

Take 5: Russia has ambitious plans ahead as they strive for economic growth in hopes of solidifying their presence as a global energy leader. Many of those who are involved with CSIPN/RITC believe the Russian government looks at Indigenous minorities as a barrier to their activities. To the activists, the Russian government is essentially trying to disband them on bogus claims, thereby undermining the resources available to vulnerable minorities.