Stig (30) Has Researched Snow in Svalbard for Four Years: “I Don’t Even Ski!” Stig Andreas Johannessen (30) became the first to defend his dissertation in Arctic Security at UNIS, the University Center in Svalbard. He has researched how Longyearbyen manages climate-related risks while simultaneously experiencing how climate change impacts the island himself.
Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Svalbard – More Work is Needed in The Tourism Sector
Svalbard Fjord Absorbs More Greenhouse Gases Than It Emits A new study shows that the Kongsfjord in Svalbard absorbs more greenhouse gases and nutrients than it emits. Researchers believe the Arctic fjord can provide important answers to how nature itself contributes to stall climate change.
BRICS by BRICS: Brazil’s Accession to the Svalbard Treaty and the Politics of Partnership The Brazilian government has submitted the proposal to sign the Svalbard Treaty to the National Congress, which is now under consideration.
The Norwegian State Budget: Major Investments in Svalbard The Norwegian government proposes major investments in Svalbard in its budget proposal for 2026. The investments aim to promote settlement for families in the High North, strengthen research leadership and national control in Svalbard, and contribute to the cleanup of mining activities. "We are strengthening national control on Svalbard," says Minister of Justice and Public Security Astri Aas-Hansen.
Managing Cruise Volume at Nordic Cruise Destinations Op-ed: Cruise destinations take a more active role in managing growing cruise tourism, four researchers write in this op-ed.
Norway to Monitor Airborne Radioactivity in Svalbard From October 1st, the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority will take over the operations of an air filter station near Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard. “This will be particularly important for nuclear preparedness in the north,” says section leader in the agency.
70 Homes Will Be Removed From the Market in Svalbard In December this year, 70 homes will be removed from the rental market in Longyearbyen due to the risk of avalanches. The decision has elicited despair among the affected stakeholders.
Survey for Arctic Way Soon to Be Completed Bodø, Northern Norway (High North News): The seabed survey for the subsea cable Arctic Way will soon be completed. It will replace the old cable to Svalbard, but also establish a connection to Jan Mayen.
Norway Worried About a Possible Shadow Fleet by Svalbard A company of unknown origin has applied for a permit to transfer Russian liquefied natural gas from ship to ship in a fjord in Svalbard. The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection fears that this involves ships from the Russian shadow fleet and has asked the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security for advice.
Norway Worried About a Possible Shadow Fleet by Svalbard A company of unknown origin has applied for a permit to transfer Russian liquefied natural gas from ship to ship in a fjord in Svalbard. The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection fears that this involves ships from the Russian shadow fleet and has asked the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security for advice.
Strengthens the Monitoring of GPS Interference in the High North The Norwegian government is establishing a new office for the Norwegian Communications Authority in Tromsø, Northern Norway. "It is important to strengthen security and preparedness in the High North through the increased presence of the authorities," says the Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance.
Svalbard Archipelago Lost 1% of Glacial Ice During Summer 2024 Heat Wave, New Study Finds Record-level temperatures battered Svalbard during summer of 2024. Researchers have now quantified the damage the heatwave caused: One percent of the archipelago’s ice had disappeared by the end of the summer, enough to raise global sea levels by 0.16mm.
Wants to Assess Possibility of Nuclear Power in Svalbard Svalbard kjernekraft AS has submitted a proposal for assessing the possibility of nuclear power to the Governor of Svalbard.
Wants to Assess Possibility of Nuclear Power in Svalbard Svalbard kjernekraft AS has submitted a proposal for assessing the possibility of nuclear power to the Governor of Svalbard.
Call From Longyearbyen for Increased Norwegian Military Presence in Svalbard Harstad (High North News): Norway must be able to defend Svalbard, believes Terje Aunevik, Chair of the Longyearbyen Community Council. At the same time, he and the County Chair for Finnmark Socialist Left are calling for proper strengthening of critical infrastructure in the North.
Call From Longyearbyen for Increased Norwegian Military Presence in Svalbard Harstad (High North News): Norway must be able to defend Svalbard, believes Terje Aunevik, Chair of the Longyearbyen Community Council. At the same time, he and the County Chair for Finnmark Socialist Left are calling for proper strengthening of critical infrastructure in the North.
High Noon 2025: Northern Debate on Svalbard, Tax Cuts, Norway Seen From Russia, and Dictatorship Next week, the debate series High Noon will take place during the True Northern Arts Festival in Northern Norway. This year's edition addresses questions under the headline 'Everything is about security' – and offers strong voices from arts and culture, politics and business, research and journalism, as well as defense.
The Norwegian King's Svalbard Visit Was Important for Completely Different Reasons Than Sovereignty Comment: Norway's King Harald has visited Svalbard. Iconic pictures of royalty struggling to get ashore on the stormy Arctic island of Bjørnøya, before boarding a trailer pulled by a tractor, are going around the world. From there, stories about the geopolitical significance of the King's visit have arisen.
The Svalbard Treaty: A Viable 100-Year-Old or One Foot in the Grave? Oslo (High North News): This year, 100 years have passed since Svalbard became part of Norway. But the celebrant is still highly relevant, and PM Jonas Gahr Støre says the High North was one of the topics discussed during his recent visit with US President Donald Trump.
China Asked to Remove Lion Statues in Svalbard Norwegian authorities require the lion sculptures that guard the entrance to China's research station in Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard to be removed.
First Human Spaceflight Over the Earth’s Poles Currently in Flight The first human spaceflight over the Earth's polar regions is currently in flight. The crew will explore Earth from a polar orbit and conduct research designed to help advance humanity's capabilities for long-term space exploration. One of the crew members is Norwegian Jannicke Mikkelsen from Svalbard.
Security for Our Sea Lanes of Communication in the High North Op-ed: US Army Veteran and Historian Mike Thornton takes a look at the vulnerability of the High North's undersea cables and the dangers of hybrid warfare. "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance," he writes in this op-ed.
New Research Shows Svalbard Glacier Has Survived Warmer Past Glaciers are withdrawing across the globe. Since 2000, glaciers have lost between 2 and 39% of their ice regionally and about 5% globally. By using warmer periods in the past as a reference, new research shows that some glaciers could survive warmer conditions given the right settings.
Norway Wants New Submarine Fiber Connection to Svalbard and Jan Mayen: “It Is Urgent” The Norwegian Government want to enter into an agreement with Space Norway to establish a new submarine fiber connection to Svalbard and Jan Mayen. "If we are to have a connection by 2028, it is urgent to start seabed surveys," says Cecilie Myrseth (Labor), Minister of Trade and Industry.
Increased Norwegian Quota for the Minke Whale This year, 1,406 minke whales can be caught in Norwegian waters. This is an increase of 249 from 2024. "The Norwegian whaling is strictly regulated, and the minke whale population is in very good condition," says Norway’s minister of fisheries.
“Before You Can Act, You Must Feel” Tromsø, Northern Norway (High North News): In an Arctic landscape increasingly characterized by geopolitics, security, and climate, literature can be the key to expanding the room for action and engaging more people, believes literature researcher Henning Howlid Wærp at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. "Before you can act, you must feel," the researcher tells HNN.
"Norway is a Superpower in the Arctic" Tromsø, Northern Norway (High North News): The new Norwegian research initiative Arctic Ocean 2050 will ensure that Norway continues to be world-leading in polar research. "The main objective is that we as a nation have the knowledge we need to manage a new ocean," says Jørgen Berge, Dean and Professor at UiT, the Arctic University of Norway.
"The Norwegian Government 'Greenwashes' the Norwegian Svalbard Policy" Bodø (High North News): Svalbard Researcher Tiril Vold Hansen wants her research to clarify to the Svalbard inhabitants how the government thinks and prioritizes when implementing new regulations for the archipelago. "Norwegian authorities prefer local frustration over an international Svalbard debate," she says.
Tourism Tax in Longyearbyen for Comment The Norwegian Minister of Industry, Cecilie Myrseth (Labor), is launching a visitor's tax for Longyearbyen. The next phase it to consider how this can be expanded to apply to cruise tourists as well.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, From Democracy to Aristocracy of Officials? Comment, Longyearbyen: I borrow some life experience from a friend living a varied life in Longyearbyen. "There have been some downs," he said, adding, "But there sure have been some uphills as well." Surveys show that the local population is happy in the town, while the business sector struggles in a near-endless bureaucratic anthill.
US Military Aircraft Not Allowed to Land in Svalbard The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected a US application to land a military aircraft at Svalbard airport this summer. "Norwegian authorities apply a very restrictive practice to diplomatic clearance of foreign military aircraft and ships," says the ministry's spokesperson.
Russia’s Company in Svalbard: Strengthens Cooperation With Russian University Sector Trust Arktikugol, Russia's company in Svalbard, has now entered into a partnership with a fourth Russian university for research and education cooperation. The company is likely to receive over USD 40 million in government funding in the next few years.
Svalbard in the National Budget: Electricity Support, Education and Research The Norwegian government wants to give Longyearbyen NOK 100 million in electricity support in 2025. This will probably not be enough to prevent increased energy fees, says the community council chair. However, the proposed NOK 184 million for the University Center in Svalbard will contribute to the resumption of normal activity.
Inhabitants of Russian Settlements to Be Registered in the Population Register of Svalbard For the first time, people living in Barentsburg and Pyramiden will now be entered into the population register of Svalbard. The registration, carried out by the Svalbard Tax Administration, will give the Norwegian authorities a better overview.
Increased Chinese Interest in Svalbard The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) has registered an increased interest in Svalbard by China.
Chinese and Turkish Polar Researchers Explore Cooperation With Russia in Svalbard Last week, a Chinese research delegation visited Russia's science center in Barentsburg to discuss expanded cooperation in the Arctic. The parties agreed to start preparations for joint research projects. In July, Turkish polar researchers visited Pyramiden to gain closer insights into Russian plans for an international Arctic science station.
SpaceX Announces First Human Spaceflight over Polar Regions Fram2 will be the first spaceflight in which humans will fly over and explore the polar regions, says SpaceX. The crew, which includes Norwegian Jannicke Mikkelsen from Svalbard, will study unusual light emissions resembling auroras.
Myths of Svalbard Geopolitics Debunked by Researcher Svalbard researcher Andreas Østhagen says certain misunderstandings about Svalbard continue to appear in media and scholarly work, of which the most common concerns Svalbard’s status as a ‘shared space’ or its legal status as being ‘ambiguous.’ He says the Norwegian government’s silence is fueling such misconceptions.
Researcher: "New Svalbard White Paper Affirms Norwegian Jurisdiction on Svalbard" In the new Svalbard white paper, the Norwegian government wants to facilitate international research on the archipelago while simultaneously clarifying Norwegian research leadership. Svalbard researcher Arild Moe says the white paper affirms Norwegian jurisdiction on Svalbard.
Shipping Industry Must Seize Opportunity Posed by Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Ban On July 1st, an International Maritime Organization ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil by Arctic shipping will come into force. At first glance, this looks like great news indeed for the Arctic environment, and the people and wildlife who depend upon it. Unfortunately, it’s not so simple.
Shipping Company Fined NOK 1 Million For Having Sailed With Heavy Fuel Oil An Irish shipping company has been fined NOK one million for having sailed one of its ships with heavy fuel oil on board within the territorial waters around Svalbard, which is a breach of the Svalbard Environment Act. In addition, the captain has been fined NOK 30,000.
Tourists Visit the Arctic on Science Cruises: A Risk of Greenwashing Arctic Tourism? To diversify tourist experiences in the Arctic, many operators now offer science cruises where tourists can participate in polar expeditions. However, this emerging trend offers some challenges regarding sustainable tourism and the protection of vulnerable environments. Researcher Elina Hutton says that nearly all cruise tourism operators selling citizen science activities are greenwashing.
New Svalbard Polar Bear Bill Adopted With 64 votes in favor, the Norwegian parliament will send the new bill on the protection of polar bears on Svalbard, i.a., to a second processing round.
New Report on Svalbard’s Tolerance Limit: Sustainable Destination by 2025 A new report of Svalbard's tolerance limit uncovers knowledge gaps around the cruise industry's emissions. "The government must strengthen its efforts in gathering data on greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental effect of sea-based tourism, a task tourism cannot handle alone," says the leader of Visit Svalbard, Ronny Brunvoll.
Norway Wants Greater State Ownership of the Energy Supply on Svalbard Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor) revealed that the government suggests NOK 125 million in financial electricity support to Longyearbyen in a revised state budget. Støre also reports that the state will claim greater ownership of the energy supply on Svalbard. "We want Norwegian ownership of important infrastructure and real estate."
Should People Be Living on Svalbard? Commentary: A parliament white paper is often followed by political measures. On Svalbard, things are different. Here, the political decisions come first, and the discussions follow. Should people really be living in Svalbard?
Svalbard Researcher: “Longyearbyen Is Meant to Be the Prime Example of Renewable Solutions in the Arctic” Great uncertainty surrounds the energy supply on Svalbard and the scheduled transition to renewable energy for the Arctic archipelago. Researcher Tiril Vold believes the process has been affected by a contest over symbolic capital and prestige.
Scientists Assemble High-Resolution Dataset of 149 Glaciers in Svalbard Using AI Scientists used artificial intelligence to analyze 125,000 satellite images of glaciers in Svalbard to learn more about the seasonal melt patterns and ice mass loss of marine-terminating glaciers. Their work will help predict glacier dynamics and their contribution to future sea-level rise as other regions experience increased warming.
