 |
| Courtesy of greenland_com on flickr |
The Arctic This Week 2014:2
Welcome and thanks for joining us this week! If you find TATW useful and fun to read, please share it with others. If you’re not a subscriber yet, you can sign up here. The PDF version is here.
As always, all editorial choices, opinions and any mistakes are the authors’ own. To comment, to point out an error or to request a back issue, feel free to contact us directly. Anything that we missed? Please feel free to share material with us if you think it deserves inclusion in TATW.
ARCTIC CONFERENCE AND EVENTS LIST
The Arctic Institute maintains and provides access to a list of Arctic-themed conferences, workshops, and events. You can access the list by clicking on the following link:
Please help us keep this list up to date! If you would like to add an event to the list, please submit the required information including the event’s name, dates, location, description, website address and contact information using this submission form. The list will be updated weekly and a link to the list will be provided each week in TATW.
THE ARCTIC INSTITUTE’S RECENT ACTIVITIES
TAI Senior Fellow Mihaela David was interviewed for a video and article on the state of the U.S.’s icebreaker fleet for CCTV. You can see the article and video here.
Next week will be a busy one for the TAI team at Arctic Frontiers in Tromsø, Norway. TAI’s Europe Director Kathrin Keil will be co-chairing a joint session on national regulations and policies for Arctic shipping as well as presenting a paper titled “Status, Gaps and Outlook of Marine Infrastructure in Arctic Littoral States.” TAI Executive Director Malte Humpert and analyst Andreas Raspotnik will be presenting a paper, “New Actors and new Technologies – The Need for a Circumpolar SAR Public Private Partnership,” with Stefan Steinicke of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Raspotnik will also be hosting a workshop on TAI’s Arctic Infrastructure Survey. If you are attending Arctic Frontiers, be sure to make it to these events and drop in and say hello to TAI’s representatives!
In a rush? Perhaps trying to tie up loose ends and finish some work before heading to Arctic Frontiers next week? Here’s the pick of the top news and stories from each section that you won’t want to miss.
Beginning with the political scene, “Iceland’s Saga: A Conversation with Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson” is featured in Foreign Affairs’ first issue this year. Iceland’s eloquent president gives a good interview, which is worth the read not only for its references to Arctic issues, but for its in-depth discussion of the 2008 collapse of Iceland’s financial sector and the country’s cultural and progressive value. Another big Arctic-related story is “Antarctica and the Arctic: A polar primer for the new great game,” Douglas Fox’s cover story in The Christian Science Monitor this week.
In the energy section, we recommend a report that just came across our desk this week and is well worth a read: a summary report of the conference “Resource Geopolitics – Energy Security” held in May, 2013. The report summarizes the event’s proceedings and provides presentation abstracts highlighting some fascinating current research on energy and security in the Arctic.
Moving on to science, bird migration patterns observed in the U.S. and Canada are rather unusual this year with snowy owls showing up as far south as Florida (EOTA), where they’ve joined all the other snow birds.
In the military section this week, Julian Barnes of the Wall Street Journal provides an excellent overview of the U.S. Navy’s need to modernize and upgrade its Arctic capabilities while operating in a severely restricted budgetary environment. Barnes reports that an upcoming Navy strategy – to be released within the next few weeks – concludes that “the Navy lacks ‘operational experience’ and ships properly outfitted for the extreme weather. It must also address poor satellite coverage” in the region.
The incident around the Russian icebreaker Akademik Shokalskiy, which became stuck in the ice in the Antarctic, dominated the shipping news this week. The incident was welcomed by the press as an occasion to provide some background information on the different techniques used by icebreakers and their weak points (NBC, News Discovery).
In infrastructure news, Alaska Public Media reports on the deep-water port recommendations being finalized by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. According to APM, “the plan expects not only increased vessel traffic in the Bering Straits region, but offshore drilling in the Chukchi Sea and graphite production at a fledgling mining claim on the Seward Peninsula.”
Finally in mining news, Marino Pieterse makes a compelling case for why the EU needs to step up and increase its efforts and investments in Greenland’s rare earth elements if it hopes to secure access to these valuable and strategic minerals (AJ).
THE POLITICAL SCENE
John Baird quells “battle” rumors
In a recent interview, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird affirmed that ties between his country and Russia remain strong, stating that the two countries “can and have worked well” on Arctic issues (CBC). The recent “diplomatic pissing match” (as Ben Makuch so delicately put it in Vice last week) over Arctic sovereignty made headlines last month when Baird said that Canada was preparing to claim the North Pole as part of the Canadian continental shelf. John Higginbotham’s recent “New Year’s resolution for the Arctic” (less rhetoric, please, he argues in Embassy News) and Isaiah Reed’s “Cold, Hard Reality” (that the “situation” is in fact “relatively inconsequential”) line up with Baird’s diplomatic approach (Center for a New American Security).
Harper breaks ground on “Road to Resources”
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Inuvik, NWT on Wednesday to mark the start of construction on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway, which will link the Canadian Arctic coast to the Dempster Highway running through the Yukon (Prime Minister of Canada). The 140-kilometer all-weather gravel road first envisioned by John Diefenbaker in the 1960s should cut shipping costs and bring other economic benefits to Northerners (The Toronto Star). For more information, read “8 Facts about the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway,” provided by CBC News.
Greenland reaches for greater autonomy amid political “turmoil”
The recent resignations of former Greenlandic premier Hans Enoksen (resigning from Siumut, Greenland’s leading political party) and fishing minister Karl Lyberth (recently linked to allegations of nepotism) apparently sent Greenlandic politics “into turmoil” and reopened criticisms of current premier Aleqa Hammond (AJ). One of Ms. Hammond’s political priorities has been establishing greater diplomatic independence, creating ties with other nations and sending an envoy, Inuuteq Holm Olsen, to represent Greenlandic interests at the Danish consulate in Washington, DC (AJ). Hammond was in Copenhagen last week visiting the Queen and the Foreign Minister of Denmark (Sermitsiaq, in Danish).
International
It’s no big surprise that Asia’s Arctic engagement continues to be a popular news item in 2014. Valdai published a piece on the prospects for Russian-Indian Arctic collaboration, Breaking Defense published one on Japan’s shifting national security strategy, and the South China Morning Post published another on experts’ calls for Beijing to develop a “strategic blueprint” to ease international concerns over China’s “polar ambitions.” And if you’d like to hear more about “The Scramble for the Arctic,” Chinese news outlet News Plus held a panel discussion in English last week featuring experts Heather Exner-Pirot, Einar Tangen, and Jia Xiudong.
The Slow – Glacially Slow – Race for the Arctic (GMF Blog).
Nations Jockey for Arctic Dominance (World).
United States
Alaskan lawmakers filed a “first wave” of legislation before the first session of the State Legislature in 2014. Bills on drones, state salaries and native languages, as well as local contributions to schools will “gavel in” on January 21 (FNM).
Canada
Our busy politicians (YN).
Russia
Arctic Sunrise may undergo repairs in Russia (Interfax-Russia, in Russian).
Kobylkin rises to 20th most influential governor in new rankings (AIR, in Russian).
Finland
Arctic Ambassador – a hot topic (Good News! From Finland).
ENERGY
Fracking and oilsands expansion leads to pushback across Canada’s north
After regulators approved Shell Canada’s Jackpine oilsands mine expansion last December (CBC) despite objections by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Métis Nation of Alberta (CBC), Canadian rocker Neil Young has pledged his support to the First Nations’ efforts to combat the mine. Young toured an oilsands project in Alberta and is hosting a series of concerts to raise money for the fight against oilsands development in Canada (CBC). Ottawa’s recent approval of the Northern Gateway pipeline that will carry Alberta crude to a proposed oil terminal in Kitimat, BC, has also drawn criticism from environmental and First Nations groups (NJ). The increased activism around oilsands development led to some difficult decisions for Lionel Lepine of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. A heavy hauler for the oil industry, Lepine decided to quit his job after seeing the impact of the industry on local communities and the environment (CBC). Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation has been tireless over the last year in his opposition to oilsands in Alberta and was honored by the Northern Journal as “newsmaker of the year.”
Opposition to fracking in Canada’s north also made the news this week. The Lubicon Lake Nation is appealing a recent injunction ordering protestors to remove a road block to a fracking site (NJ) while fracking opponents in the Northwest Territories are asking for a region-wide referendum on the drilling practice (NJ). Megan Wohlberg provides some good background on the political fault lines over fracking in the NWT in this article for Northern Journal. A series of spills across Alberta last year has also helped fan the flames of opposition to expanding energy development (NJ). Meanwhile, in British Columbia the Fort Nelson First Nation is asking the province to cancel a water-use permit that was issued to Aurora LNG for use in fracking operations (PN).
Is the oil party over in Norway, or still going strong?
There were conflicting opinions this week on what the future holds for Norway’s oil sector. Economist Peter Hermanrud predicts that changes in global oil and gas markets will mean more competition for Norway, leading to declines in investment and, potentially, employment and training in the oil sector (AB, in Norwegian). The oil industry sees something entirely different in their crystal ball, though. Investment looks strong for 2014 (AB, in Norwegian) and Statoil CEO Helge Lund provided a muscular defense of Norway’s oil industry in a recent address, promoting the industry’s benefits to Norway’s economy in the face of those in Norway who are calling for the country to begin planning for life after oil (AB, in Norwegian).
Ice roads blossom while Alaska contemplates the future of the North Slope
Alaska Governor Sean Parnell is moving to scrap the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act and move forward with a new agreement with TransCanada, ExxonMobil, BP and ConocoPhilips for a gas pipeline/LNG export project to service the North Slope (FNM). In the new deal, the state will actually be putting some skin in the game by taking an equity stake in the project. Interior lawmakers expressed their support for the plan, which will also provide less expensive gas for Interior communities (FNM). Ice roads have been blossoming across the North Slope as winter settles in, though claims by the oil industry that the pace of construction reflects recent state tax cuts are debatable (AD). Alan Bailey asks “what’s next?” for the North Slope in this article for Petroleum News. With oil production from legacy fields in decline and threatening the viability of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Bailey looks at the prospects of developing new fields on the North Slope and offshore.
International
Greenpeace activist Paul Ruzycki sat for an interview with the CBC about Arctic oil and gas exploration and his time spent in a Russian jail as a member of the Arctic 30 (CBC). Audio of the interview is available here. A new article, “International Law and Governance of the Arctic's Offshore Oil Industry: Inert or Altered?” is available from Oil, Gas, Energy and Law (subscription).
Canada
A Yukon resident is claiming that increased flow rates at a Yukon Energy Corporation hydroelectric station is causing flooding along the Mayo River that is threatening his home (YN).
Omnitrax has developed a spill prevention and mediation plan as it intends to ship oil by rail to Churchill, Manitoba, and thence onto tanker ships in the Hudson Bay (Brandon Sun).
Nordics
Renewed oil and gas exploration and investment in the North Sea is proving that the region is hardly played out and may still contain significant resources (AJ).
Finnish energy company Fennovoima signed a contract last month with Russia’s Rosatom to build a new nuclear power plant in northern Finland (BO). The proposed plant is raising concerns in neighboring Sweden where residents are worried about potential health and environmental impacts (EOTA).
Russia
Shell and Gazprom has begun horizontal drilling to explore the resource potential of the Bazhenov shale in western Siberia. The Bazhenov was the major source rock for western Siberia’s oil fields and is projected to contain as much oil as has been produced to date in Russia. The question Shell and Gazprom hope to answer is how much can be accessed and at what cost. If the Bazhenov’s oil can be accessed economically, it could provide a more affordable alternative than Arctic shelf exploration (Bloomberg). Meanwhile, residents in the Komi region and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug are paying the price of increased oil development: a rapid increase in oil spills and accidents along the Kolva River (BO).
The Russian Duma voted on an amendment that would establish a security zone of three miles around all offshore oil and gas facilities. Violating the zone would be punishable by up to five years hard labor (AIR, in Russian).
Alaska
National group threatening to sue EPA over not enforcing sanctions for missed clean air deadlines (FNM).
Canada
Low gas prices have foundered the Mackenzie Delta gas project. Industry and government are exploring ways forward, though the chances for a breakthrough anytime in the near future are slim (NJ).
SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
Global warming despite polar vortex in the U.S.
The “polar vortex”, which recently swept through the U.S. and brought a cold wave, might lead some people to conclude that global warming has come to a stop, if it ever existed. An article in Nature attempts to do away with these misperceptions and explains the relationship between the cold snap in the U.S. and the global temperature trend (Nature). This was confirmed by John Holdren, President Obama’s science adviser. In fact, the Polar Vortex may actually be caused by global warming. Check out Holdren’s short video for a more graphic depiction of the Polar Vortex (Buzzfeed). Brad Plumer of the Washington Post also sheds light on those links (WP). Looking both to the past and the future, an interesting article from the Huffington Post names the “The 10 Worst Climate Stories Of 2013” (HP) while the BBC predicts that climate research will be one of the science priorities in 2014 (BBC).
Climate change also affects archeologists in the Arctic, who are racing against time as artifacts and clues, frozen for thousands of years in permfrost, are in danger of melting away or being destroyed by extreme weather events (NPR).
How to stalk and protect polar bears
The icon of a melting Arctic, the polar bear, made it again into the news this week. In Alaska, researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center use satellite radio-tracking to find out how exactly the bears use sea ice and land (USGS). In addition, lidar, a laser-based remote sensing technology, enables them to spot polar bears’ winter dens. This information could be of critical importance for the protection of the bears during winter oil and gas exploration (AJ). Richard Ellis, in his recently published book On Thin Ice: The Changing World of the Polar Bear, analyses the impacts of climate change on the species (NG). The Endangered Species Act, protecting polar bears and other threatened animals, celebrates its 40-year anniversary. But instead of celebrating, some resent the increasing amount of resources used and the changing criteria of the Act (AD). And if you haven’t encountered your first polar bear yet, you can take part in Jen Twyman and Kim Gray’s adventure in Manitoba, Canada (Toque and Canoe).
Chaos in the skies – bird migration
The climate and the weather also have a significant effect on birds. As a consequence of the mild winter in Finland, birds have delayed their migration (AD). This is the opposite from the migration patterns observed in the U.S. and Canada, where some snowy owls have migrated much further south than usual. Some made it as far as Florida (EOTA)! This creates several problems. Among others, the owls and other birds create hazards at airports, as they appear around the runways. If they cannot be deterred, they have to be caught and relocated as a measure of safety both for air traffic and the animals (Capital Gazette). The Michigan-based Daily Journal links the increased sightings of snowy owls in the area to a population boom in their Arctic breeding lands (Daily Journal).
Lots of moose this week
While an Alaska man was accused of feeding cabbage to several moose in his yard (NM), two moose hunters pled guilty to hunting violations for separate incidents (NM). Meanwhile, another Alaska resident was left to worry about what to do with a dead moose in his yard (AD).
Climate
Reductions in aircraft particulate emissions due to the use of Fischer–Tropsch fuels (abstract) (ACP).
Can regional climate engineering save the summer Arctic Sea-Ice? (abstract) (Geophysical Research Letters)
Methane release around Arctic islands predates recent climate change (Finance Follow).
Wildlife
Greenland celebrates the release of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment publication (Jan. 8, 2014) (CAFF).
New Web site reveals incredible natural diversity of the Arctic (Canadian Museum of Nature).
Yukon bolsters animal health laws (Yukon News). Enjoy the picture of an elk sticking his tongue out.
Expeditions
MILITARY / SEARCH & RESCUE
Europe
Zenia Stampe, a Danish MP, argues that the Arctic should be designated as a zone in which nuclear weapons are prohibited. Stampe argues that such zones already exist in a number of regions – including Antarctica, Latin America, and the South Pacific, among others – and that a ban would not preclude the use of nuclear-powered ships or lucrative uranium mining in the region. However, Stampe’s proposal likely faces an uphill battle given the history of ballistic missile submarine operations in the region (AJ).
Russia
Russia is in the process of re-activating civilian border brigades to patrol its Arctic borders (BO). The Russian Navy also plans to receive amphibious combat vehicles for operations in Arctic conditions by 2050 (AIR, in Russian).
Northern Fleet sailors work out new solutions to combat problems (AIR, in Russian).
Military aircraft patrols to increase in volume in the Arctic (AIR, in Russian).
United States
Canada
Used parts keeping rescue planes in air (Star Phoenix).
MINING
Massive mine proposed for Yukon
Western Copper and Gold submitted its proposal for the massive Casino mine in Yukon this week (YN). The mining application will be the largest and most complex project that the Yukon Environment and Socio-economic Assessment Board has ever handled (CBC). The CDN $2.5 billion open-pit mine could produce up to 400,000 ounces of gold annually and employ up to 600 during peak operations. Local conservation groups have come out against the project, saying it will endanger wildlife, put the Yukon’s greenhouse gas emissions through the roof, and saddle future generations with costly remediation (YN, CBC).
Canada
This short article in the Northern Journal provides a summary of the major mining developments in the Northwest Territories in 2013. See the January edition of the Canadian Mining Journal for articles on new resources emerging in the Arctic due to climate change, mining prospects on Baffin Island, expansions at the Minto mine in the Yukon and gold prospects in Newfoundland. Also included is an interesting article on the most critical factor for mining projects in the Arctic. No, it’s not climate or distance, but water. It’s easy to forget that much of the Arctic is arid, and figuring out how to manage scares water is a make-or-break issue for mines in the North.
Company, province downplaying long-term impacts of Obed coal spill disaster, say First Nations (NJ).
Finland
Greenland
Uranium deal with Greenland sealed by year's end (Copenhagen Post).
Alaska
While not Arctic focused, this article in the Alaska Dispatch looks at the long and arduous process that mining companies must endure if they are to see their projects come to fruition through multiple layers of regulation and review by the federal government.
FISHERIES, SHIPPING AND OTHER BUSINESS NEWS
Fish disputes
As in the final months of last year, the fishing industry has again created friction between different countries. Discussions are at a standstill in the dispute between the Faroese Islands, which is a self-governing member of the Danish Kingdom, and the EU over Faroese herring and mackerel exports. Because Norway wants the issue settled before allowing Denmark to continue fishing in its waters, Danish fishermen remain unable to sail to their nets in Norwegian territory (AJ). In response, last November the Faroe Islands started WTO dispute settlement proceedings against the EU to challenge its trade sanctions. The mediation effort will be discussed in the next meeting of the WTO dispute settlement body on January 20 (AJ).
Starting January 1st, Russia partially banned fish imports from Norway due to “lax quality controls.” The move affects 90% of the Norwegian suppliers registered in Russia. The remaining 29 companies still allowed to export will face stricter quality controls (BO). Because the Norwegian Mattilsynet, the agency guaranteeing the fish’s quality, is further responsible for meat and cheese standards, Russia additionally has considered banning these products from its market (BO). If you fancy a humorous pun on the ban, check out the article in the Arctic Journal (AJ). Despite these challenges, Norway’s seafood exports in 2013 surpassed the previous record from 2010 by 13% (BO). Building on this and hoping for more trust from the Russian authorities and close cooperation with Russian companies, the Norwegian fish farming corporation Kirkenes Charr has established itself close to the Norwegian-Russian border town Kirkenes. Its license allows for the production of 2.5 million salmon smolts annually (BO).
Alaska unsafe for fish and fishermen?
In the United States, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is taking steps against claims made on some websites that salmon caught in Alaska is unsafe (FNM). Reporting on another point of safety in Alaska’s fisheries, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released an analysis of injuries treated at a Dutch Harbor clinic, revealing patterns of injuries related to the fishing industry (FNM).
Rescue attempts in the Antarctic and lessons about icebreakers and the Arctic
On Christmas Eve last year, the Russian icebreaker Akademik Shokalskiy got stuck in the ice near Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica. The Chinese vessel Xue Long, in a rescue attempt, got stuck itself (BBC). Finally, the American ship the Polar Star was deployed for the rescue operation (Guardian). The diversion of several icebreakers in the rescue process, such as the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis (DJ), in order to help and rescue the passengers aboard the “tourist ship” disturbed scientists, whose Antarctic research programs were seriously disrupted. Read the article by Andrew Revkin to get another view on the series of events covered heavily by the media (NYT).
The incident was welcomed by the press as an occasion to provide background information on the different techniques used by icebreakers and their weak points (NBC, News Discovery). The article in News Discovery comes with an entertaining picture of two penguins playing in front of the trapped vessel. On the other hand, Stephan Lewandowsky uses a picture of men clearing snow next to the ship for a helicopter rescue to emphasize his argument that pictures and graphs can easily be used to mislead readers (The Conversation). For more information on icebreakers in general and traffic through the Northern Sea Route, visit Igor Ossipov’s blog (RIAC).
Russia’s icebreakers are (almost) ready for action
Rosatomflot, operator of the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, is extending the life-time of the nuclear-powered icebreaker Yamal by 150,000 hours and 30 years, meaning it could be in service up to the year 2022 (AIR, in Russian). The environmental organization Bellona voiced concerns over potential incidents (BO). What is more, the world’s only nuclear-powered container vessel Sevmorput, meaning “Northern Sea Route”, will also undergo repairs in order to be fit for commercial as well as military operations (BO). See also the article on Arctic Info (in Russian).
Fisheries
Shipping
Other business and economic news
Finland — Arctic maritime transport expert (Good News Finland).
HEALTH, EDUCATION, SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Severe windstorm hits Nunavut, Canada
A severe weather system with near hurricane-strength winds hit Iqaluit, Nunavut last week (CBC). Fortunately, no injuries and no major damages were reported (EOTA). For an interesting and humorous play-by-play of the storm, see “Diary of an Iqaluit Blizzard” (Finding True North).
Health
Education
Arctic 101: UW degree to prep students for a melting world (The Seattle Times).
Trent Continues Legacy of Arctic Student Research (Trent University).
NSERC CREATE Training Program in Arctic Atmospheric Science: Graduate and undergraduate internships for summer 2014 (Canada.com).
Society
Winter comes to southern Siberia – but will it last? (The Siberian Times).
Creating a Vision for Sustainable Arctic Communities (National Geographic).
In Yakutia, the Christmas tree set at the bottom of the Lena (AIR, in Russian).
Ten ways Iqaluit is like a campus (Finding True North).
Permafrost Farming: It’s possible! (Modern Farmer).
Culture
INFRASTRUCTURE
New highway to connect Canadian Arctic coast to interior of country
Canada has started construction on a 137-km all-season highway linking Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. The Tuktoyaktuk highway, according to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, “‘will, for the first time by road, connect and unify Canada from sea to sea to sea’” (Today’s Trucking). The highway is estimated to cost some $300 million, $200 million of which will be paid by the federal government, with the government of the Northwest Territories covering the remainder of the costs. The highway will extend the current Dempster Highway, which ends in Inuvik, and will be at least 1.8 meters above the tundra to help prevent the melting of permafrost (EOTA). However, some are questioning whether the highway actually makes economic sense (Financial Post). For a look at the terrain – and what construction of the highway will entail – check out this photo from Joël Plouffe’s Twitter account.
Canada
Europe
The increase in traffic over the Lotta – Raja-Jooseppie Checkpoint between Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula seems to have slowed down, with only a 5% increase in traffic in 2013 (BO).
Russia
Delivery of goods continues on Yakutia winter road (AIR, in Russian).
Arkhangelsk region to reduce port fees (AIR, in Russian).
SPORTS
A trio of British military doctors is gearing up to compete in the Arctic race Rovaniemi 150. The race entails running and trekking across some 150km of Northern Finland in punishing conditions. The doctors are competing to raise funds for Combat Stress, a UK charity that works on veterans’ mental health care (Plymouth Herald). Similarly, a group of businessmen and soldiers – many of whom were wounded while deployed overseas – are preparing for a 100km trek to the Magnetic North Pole to raise money for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (G&M).
Europe
The challenge – to run a marathon at the North Pole (Shepherd Fitness)
Climate change curtails cross-country skiing in Norway’s capital (The Foreigner).
United States
Canada
Russia
A delegation from Taimyr will take part in cultural programs at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi (AIR, in Russian).
IMAGES AND VIDEO
On Flickr this week, check out Fog Moving over Miner’s Ridge and Beats the Winter Blues by Mikofox, Igloo by Jesse Whitehead, and the stunning Startrail over Reine by Tommy.Johansen.
Arctic photos this week were posted on Instagram by robert_grenier, nerdymko, ecojackiejo, dreameurotrip, auranalexandra, andrewkimmel, findtruen and vijaypawarn.
Twitter users tweeted Arctic sunsets, abandoned fishing boats, the Northwest Passage, Murmansk, frosty office windows, and the northern lights.
This week’s photo collections include photos from a summer trip to Pangnirtung, Nunavut on Hike Bike Travel, Last week’s impressive display of the northern lights, photographed in and outside the Arctic and posted by National Geographic, and Dave Levinthal’s tumblr Traveling on Top.
For your video fix this week, check out the trailer for “Aatsinkil: The Story of Arctic Cowboys.”
Abbreviation Key
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)
Aftenbladet (AB)
Alaska Business Monthly (ABM)
Alaska Dispatch (AD)
Alaska Journal of Commerce (AJC)
Alaska Native News (ANN)
Alaska Public Media (APM)
Anchorage Daily News (ADN)
Arctic Info (Russian) (AIR)
Arctic Institute (TAI)
Barents Nova (BN)
Barents Observer (BO)
Bristol Bay Times (BBT)
BusinessWeek (BW)
Canadian Mining Journal (CMJ)
Christian Science Monitor (CSM)
Eye on the Arctic (EOTA)
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (FNM)
Financial Times (FT)
Globe and Mail (G&M)
Government of Canada (GOC)
Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT)
Huffington Post (HP)
Indian Country Today Media Network (ICTMN)
Johnson’s Russia List (JRL)
Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR)
Lapin Kansa (LK)
Moscow Times (MT)
National Geographic (NG)
Natural Gas Europe (NGE)
Naval Today (NT)
New York Times (NYT)
Northern Journal (NJ)
Northern News Service Online (NNSO)
Northern Public Affairs (NPA)
Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI)
Nunatsiaq News (NN)
Oil & Gas Journal (OGJ)
Ottawa Citizen (OC)
Petroleum News (PN)
RIA Novosti (RIAN)
Russia Beyond the Headlines (RBTH)
Russia Today (RT)
Voice of Russia (VOR)
Wall Street Journal (WSJ)
Washington Post (WP)
Whitehorse Star (WS)
Winnipeg Free Press (WFP)
Yukon News (YN)
-01.png){kind=small}
