The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of October 22, 2018

• Trident Juncture Begins

This week, on October 25, NATO started its largest war games since the end of the Cold War. Taking place in locations from Iceland and Finland, 31 countries will participate, each contributing to the 50,000 soldiers, 250 aircraft, 10,000 thanks, and 65 ships that are involved. The exercise is defensive in nature, meant to test NATO’s response to an attack on Norway. Although not stated as the adversary, Russia is the implied nation that the defence would be set against (The Telegraph, Washington Post).

Take 1: It was only last month that Russia had its largest exercise since the end of the cold war. With an estimated 300,000 soldiers participating in that exercise, it now seems that both the East and the West are preparing for an eventual confrontation. Norway, which shares an Arctic border with Russia, seems particularly vulnerable to the increasing tension. Tensions and suspicions are set to continue to increase not just by exercises like Trident Juncture, but also as the U.S. moves to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. In the future exercises might only continue to get bigger and bigger.

• Bringing the Wild Back

This week, the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B journal published a series of articles relating to the potential positive effects of rewilding on the Arctic climate. Rewilding is the idea that the reintroduction of lost species such as reindeer, rhinoceroses, and other large mammals can restore the food chains in their native habitats. Based on current research, some scientists now believe that rewilding can help reduce the chances of wild fires occurring in the Arctic region. The journal, as part of its series, published a study conducted by a team of scientists from the university of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia. In particular the study examined data from 14 ancient landscapes up to 43,000 years old. Through modeling studies, the researchers were able to show that large grazers can help reduce increased forest fire risks by disturbing the topsoil. The animals were shown as burying flammable materials as they ate and disturbed the soil. Other studies published in the journal show that some grazers can help maintain tundra which is decreasing as a result of climate change (Royal Society Journal, Science Magazine).

Take 2: The concept of rewilding has been floating around for years with some extreme ideas going so far as to want to bring back extinct animals. Yet, the articles published this week provide a realistic analysis of the benefits of rewilding and its potential effects in arctic environments. That rewilding can help reduce the effects of climate change is a positive outcome that should be studied more. However, the reality is that even if rewilding was to be fully implemented, it probably won’t significantly reduce the effects of climate change on the arctic environments by itself. There is also the unstudied risk that the reintroduction of large herds of mammals in the long run might cause more harm than good. While the journal provides an understanding of rewilding, more comprehensive studies need to be done.

• Approval of Artificial Island off the Coast of Alaska

This week, the United States Interior Department gave conditional approval to Hilcorp Energy for the construction of an artificial island in the Beaufort Sea. Hilcorp Energy will utilize an Alaska subsidiary plan to construct a nine-acre gravel island with an oil production facility in the shallow waters off the coast. The conditional approval is subject to seasonal restrictions and other required federal permits. Hilcorp Energy must also obtain permits from state agencies before any construction can begin. Even with all that, this is still the first approval of an oil production facility in Arctic waters and is considered a big step going forward (Bloomberg, The Hill).

Take 3: The construction of an artificial island raises many concerns on its potential negative impacts to the fragile Arctic ecosystem. The facility increases the risk of an oil spill occurring, and in the north, getting the necessary equipment to clean up a spill could be challenging. There is also a fear among native tribes that the island will shift migration patterns causing bowhead whales to be further offshore. The tribes depend on the migrating whales for subsistence. Even with its conditional approval from the Interior Department, Hilcorp Energy still has a long way to go in order to assure the local government and local people that it is doing everything possible to mitigate the potential risks associated with the construction.

• Canadian Coast Guard Creates New Branch

This week, Canada’s Northern Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced that the Coast Guard is creating a new branch dedicated to focusing exclusively on the country’s northern waters. Previously, responsibility for the north had been divided between the other coast guard divisions (west, east, and central). The new branch seeks to work more closely with Inuit communities in regard to search and rescue, or breaking ice for community resupply (Ottawa Citizen, The Province).

Take 4: The creation of a new coast guard branch that deals specifically with Arctic issues is a welcome administrative improvement. It allows for decisions on northern issues to be more centralized. The new branch also has the potential to bring economic improvements for northern areas, as it can bring greater investment and employment opportunities. In addition, the new branch will hopefully generate greater collaboration between local communities and the government, specifically dealing with issues that directly affect them.

• Trying to Prepare for an Emergency

On October 22, National Science Foundation announced that it has awarded over 1$ million to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the purpose of conducting research on emergency response capabilities in the Arctic. As the Arctic region becomes more accessible to people, there is a growing risk that the region does not have the infrastructure or capabilities necessary for a catastrophic emergency. The goal of this award is to better plan future emergency response infrastructure investments. The researchers will utilize models to help determine the best sites facilities can be built on. They are looking at sites that are not just useful for emergency response but also provide a local benefit (Rensselaer).

Take 5: Awarding $1 million to support improved emergency response capabilities in the Arctic region comes at a good time. Arctic waters experience longer ice-free seasons than before, something that has increased tourism and industrial activity in the region. This means that there is also an increased need for emergency response should a large-scale emergency occur.