The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of October 14, 2019

The World’s Largest Polar Expedition is Being Threatened by Thin Ice

Mosaic is the first expedition of its kind, in which a team of scientists will stay on the German icebreaker, Polarstern, to build the first detailed profile of the Arctic environment. Researchers on the Polarstern will be spending a year trapped in the sea ice to build a deeper understanding of the Arctic ecosystem. In order to do so, they are mooring the ship to an ice floe to support the large infrastructure needed for the research base. This has proven much more complicated than initially anticipated due to the thin sea ice and upcoming winter months where the Arctic will sink into 24-hour darkness. Mooring the ship to an ice floe that is too thin is risky as it can easily break up in storms or the ocean currents (BBC, BBC).

Take 1: Understanding the unique ecosystem of the Arctic is not only fascinating, but also necessary for us to truly understand the impact climate change is having on our planet. Due to the decreasing sea ice extent, researchers are conducting this expedition with a great sense of urgency as this may be one of the last years an expedition like this can be pursued.

Moscow Supports Vostok Coal’s Expansion into Protected Arctic Tundra

On the vulnerable tundra land of the Tamyr Peninsula (located on the northernmost tip of mainland Russia), mining company Vostok Coal is extracting an energy-rich coal derivative commonly known as anthracite. While in years prior the mining company was fined several hundred million rubles for illegal mining in the area, they have now received approval from the government for expansion into a national park. Such an expansion will significantly boost shipments on the Arctic route and contribute to President Putin’s rapid economic growth scheme for the Northern Sea Route. Operations are already underway with heavy machinery digging in the area; however, investigations carried out by the state nature protection agency Rosprirodnadzor indicate these operations are inflicting serious damage to the local environment (EOTA).

Take 2: Extreme economic growth often comes at a price, and that is exactly what we see in the expansion of Vostok Coal. While Vostok Coal’s new operations in the Arctic tundra is a major step forward for the Northern Sea Route shipping, it is a step back for the Arctic environment. It would appear that Russian leadership has chosen to overlook the environmental concerns brought up by various environmental agencies. Despite the detrimental impact of such an operation, substantial infrastructure is already being built in order to develop one of the most remote places on the planet to export 19 million tons of coal by 2024.

North a Low Priority in Canadian Federal Election

Justin Trudeau’s trip to Canada’s North on Tuesday marks the first visit of a federal leader during this federal election campaign. In his visit, Trudeau put great emphasis on his plan to fight climate change in a region more affected by global warming than the rest of Canada. Other regimes from opposing parties include the NDP committing to improving the food subsidy program Nutrition North, investing in search and rescue, and creating an investment fund to boost the Northern economy. The Conservatives, meanwhile, vow to revisit resource revenue formulas, promising the three territories will be entitled to 100% of resource revenues by 2027 (CBC, Global News).

Take 3: Many residents of the Canadian Arctic feel neglected by their federal government. The general consensus is that candidates rarely want to invest time and energy addressing their issues as there are fewer than 120,000 people and only three seats in Parliament spread across Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon. The Liberals, Greens, and NDP say they will assist communities in reducing reliance on diesel and help them adapt to climate change; however, these plans are stated with few substantial details.

Microplastics in the Arctic May Affect Sea Ice Formation 

COMPAS (COastal MicroPlastics—into Arctic Sediment) maps microplastic sources, transport pathways, and sinks in Arctic coastal environments with a focus on Svalbard and mainland Norway. Bridging the current lack of knowledge regarding microplastics is imperative due to the exceptional vulnerability of Arctic marine ecosystems. Microplastics permeating the sea ice can impact the absorption of incoming solar radiation, thereby affecting sea ice albedo — how the ice reflects solar energy. Changes in sea ice albedo have strong consequences on the annual cycle of sea ice growth and melt. Sea ice that is darker, due to the accumulation of pollution particles or microplastics, absorbs more sunlight leading to a potential change in sea-ice properties (ScienceX, Narwhal).

Take 4: Microplastics are a relatively new endeavor that is not yet fully understood. Programs such as these help us understand how far into the trophic levels human activities can impact. Researchers estimate that roughly 8 million tons of plastic migrate from the land to the sea every year, yet only 1% of this plastic has actually been accounted for. Scientists predict that the increase of microplastics in sea ice will not only alter the albedo of sea ice, but also biological processes of algae that reside underneath the ice cover.

Mining companies to pay higher deposits for environmental damage in Finland

Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Katri Kulmuni, is determined to increase the guarantee fees paid by mining companies. Guarantee fees are paid by mining companies to offset any environmental damage their operations may cause; however, in many cases, taxpayers are shouldering the burden of failed mining operations. Every politician who responded to a Yle poll from early 2019 backed a new mining tax. The tax discussed can potentially be collected from a company’s turnover or the value of unearthed minerals (EOTA).

Take 5: Increasing the guarantee fees required of mining companies in Finland is a necessary step in protecting Finland’s environment and taxpayers. A report in June by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development indicated that current fees only cover minimal procedures, such as fencing of a closed mining site. With the current legislation, there is clearly not enough responsibility placed on mining companies, especially given the adverse effects their operations can have on a community. Hopefully in revising the guidelines for guarantee fees, a more mindful and deliberate program can be implemented to protect both the environment and taxpayers.