Believes the Arctic Council Will Survive Oslo (High North News): The cooperation with Russia in the Arctic Council works, reports leaders in the council's working groups. Various voices are also optimistic in regard to the council's survival. "The council’s continued existence will be in everyone’s interest", says Norwegian top diplomat Morten Høglund.
Arctic Council Chairship Handover: “We Must Move Forward With Courage,” Says Greenlandic Foreign Minister Tromsø, Northern Norway (High North News): The Kingdom of Denmark, spearheaded by Greenland, has taken over the chairship of the Arctic Council. The eight Arctic states have also agreed on a joint statement. "The Council must continue to be the foremost forum for cooperation in the Arctic," underlines Greenland's foreign minister.
Tree Planting Is No Climate Solution in the Arctic Planting trees is a simple and efficient way to mitigate climate change. However, new research shows that planting trees in the Arctic could have the opposite effect and, in fact, increase global warming.
Focus on Arctic Challenges at COP29 The UN's climate conference 2024, better known as COP29, is now taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Arctic is yet again on the agenda, this time focusing on the cryosphere and wildfires, particularly from an Indigenous perspective.
Wants International Ecocide Law to Deter and Stop Environmental Crimes in the Arctic Reykjavik, Iceland (High North News): Politicians, legal practitioners, and researchers are currently working to establish an international ecocide law to prevent environmental crimes in the Arctic and globally. "We see ourselves as separate from nature," says Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO of Stop Ecocide International.
State of the Climate Report 2023: The Fourth Warmest Year on Record for the Arctic Climate change continues to snowball in the Arctic region, including warmer air and sea temperatures, melting sea ice, thawing permafrost, and loss of ice sheets and glaciers. A new report sheds light on the state of the climate in 2023.
Biden Administration Will Not Appeal Court Ruling Blocking North Slope Oil Project in Alaska The Biden administration will not continue to defend the oil and gas drilling plan in court.
Russia Unveils Climate Change Adaptation Plan The Russian government takes a major step to join the world community in recognizing the threat of climate change.
Young Scientists Pour Into the Svalbard "Climate Lab". But Their Engagement is not Reflected Amongst Decision-Makers Svalbard is growing wetter, warmer and greener. Fortunately, an increasing amount of young people flock to the island to conduct field studies of the changes. Unfortunately their interest is not reflected amongst decision-makers.
MP Argues That Pompeo Provoked Unnecessarily – Fears for High North Cooperation The fact that the Arctic Council could not agree on a joint declaration is embarrassing and will make it more difficult to cooperate in the High North in the future, argues the Chair of the Norwegian parliament’s Delegation for Arctic Cooperation.
USA’s Climate Skepticism Causes Concern Prior to Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting The Trump administration’s reluctance to acknowledging climate changes as a real problem is at present frustrating a series of climate efforts in the Arctic – efforts that most of the other Arctic states, including the Nordic countries, want to prioritize.
Environmental Activists Charged and Tent Camps Removed: Northern Russia’s Garbage War Tightening Up Five activists have been arrested and several tent camps around the planned landfill at Shiyes near Arkhangelsk have been removed. – We are all ready to go to jail for this case, says Ivan Tschelpanov, who had to face court on Thursday.
Working in the 11th Hour to Agree On Joint Declaration Less than two weeks to go before the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting, there is still much diplomatic work that remains before there is agreement on a ‘Rovaniemi declaration’.
Meets Solberg On Stage When Prime Minister Erna Solberg Tuesday enters the stage with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it is about far more than just the relationship between Norway and Russia. From a western perspective, it has as much to do with the relationship to China.
Misleading the public: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge debate flared up again After the timeframe for submitting comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement for drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has closed, the organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) claims that essential information was withheld from the public. Several sources also argue that the potential revenue from drilling is greatly overstated.
Norwegian-Russian Cooperation Against Plastic Pollution in the Barents Sea Norway and Russia will cooperate about fighting plastic pollution in the Barents Sea, says Norwegian Climate and Environment Minister Ola Elvestuen following meetings in Moscow.
Op-Ed: Ocean Acidification – An Ignored Consequence of Climate Change? Speaking of climate change resonates more with people today than it did ten years ago and nobody questions the fact that plastic pollution of the oceans is caused by humans . However, there is one subject that is largely ignored: Ocean acidification and its significant effects on our coasts and the ocean.
Environmental Groups Push For Stronger Polar Code When the Polar Code takes effect in January 2017, it will strengthen the rules for many of the vessels sailing through Arctic waters. It will help protect the Arctic environment, but experts say gaps remain.
