ARCTIC: Russia against indigenous groups & more – 6th Aug 2024

Góðan daginn from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Arctic Update from the 6th of August twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what’s going down North of the Arctic Circle!

Life for Indigenous communities in Russia took a negative turn this week. As reported by news agency The Barents Observer on Tuesday the 30th of July, the Russian Ministry of Justice has labeled fifty-five Russian indigenous, regional, and ethnic groups as extremists. The Justice Ministry says the groups are anti-Russia separatist movements aimed at destroying the territorial integrity of Russia. Andrei Danilov, a Russian Sami spokesperson, spoke to the Barents Observer and expressed his alarm, he believes the repression of the indigenous peoples of Russia has begun.

Now the authorities can legally take away indigenous peoples’ lands for development. Russia is developing its Arctic for a new wave of industry, and the government will remove or imprison those who committed the crime of living there in the first place.

The most effective method of protesting Russia’s actions is to stop buying energy from them. Finland and Sweden have been proving this can be done. According to Finland’s state energy company, Gasum, on Wednesday the 31st of July, Finland ceased purchasing any Russian natural gas, and from the end of August, the country will transition to selling renewable biogas instead of imported natural gas.

Gasum also reported that Sweden has been decreasing its imports from Russia by over half each month when comparing this year to prior years. Though Sweden has not yet completely ceased imports from Russia, Europe continues to move away from purchasing energy from Russia.

The market for gas and oil exports in the Arctic will be determined largely by how frozen the Arctic Ocean will be in the future. Currently, the sea travel routes are very dangerous for shipping as icebergs are breaking away from glaciers and floating into the paths of ships, but according to new research published on Tuesday the 30th of July by Peking University, by twenty sixty-five the Arctic will have melted so much that year-round shipping will be safely possible for non-ice-class ships. This could considerably reshape the patterns of global shipping networks and international trade, though the environmental impact will be stark.

Climate change is also changing the prospects for the Arctic fishing industry. According to research published on Thursday the 1st of August by Hokkaido University, climate change presents a major threat to fisheries in the Pacific Arctic. The report shows that until twenty forty, fisheries are projected to suffer minimally but after twenty forty, when the Arctic sea ice melts much quicker, there will be a sudden shift where fish species around the world either move huge distances or completely die. The only projected good news is that the Pacific cod is expected to adapt well and become a very abundant fish stock, but fisheries need to plan ahead for a major change in their industry in the near future.

On the other hand, polar bears received some positive news this week. According to research published on Wednesday the 31st of July, by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the population of polar bears in Southern Hudson Bay has risen to over 1,000, up from 780 in twenty sixteen. Stable ice conditions in recent years have facilitated this recovery after previous difficult years. However, the study cautions that this population increase may be temporary unless significant climate action is undertaken, highlighting the vulnerability of the bears to environmental changes.

Becoming the dominant maritime nation in the Arctic requires substantial investment. Last week, the US unveiled a new military strategy for the Arctic, which is already yielding results. On Monday the 29th of July, the US government announced a collaboration with Davie, a Canada-based multinational shipbuilder, and plans for a significant, long-term commitment to the American shipbuilding industry. Despite Davie's shipyards in Canada and Finland producing most of the world's icebreakers, US law mandates that only ships built domestically can transport cargo between US ports. As a result, Davie will soon acquire or partner with an American shipbuilder, positioning itself as the most powerful shipbuilder globally.

Another Canadian industry undergoing significant change is the natural gas sector. On Tuesday the 30th of July, the Canadian energy giant TC Energy announced it is selling a minority stake to an Indigenous community consortium of western Canada. The consortium represents seventy-two Indigenous groups who will spend over $700 million US dollars to gain a 5% stake in the natural gas infrastructure in their region. This will become the largest ever Indigenous ownership agreement and according to Chief Roy Fox, co-chair of the Indigenous Resource Council, this will allow for Canada’s First Nations to move closer to sovereignty in their homelands.

The Alaskan mining industry has introduced a potentially game-changing method for processing ores. On Thursday the 1st of August, Mining News North reported that the new Manh Choh mine produced its first gold bar. The significance lies not just in the gold itself, but in the innovative process used. Manh Choh combines ore from multiple deposits into a single mill, including ores from abandoned sites with existing infrastructure. This approach, typically avoided due to high costs, could provide a profitable model for small mines globally, offering a new method for extracting valuable minerals from previously uneconomical sources.

While Alaskan mining is booming, advocates for preventing sexual assault argue that the state isn't prioritizing domestic violence prevention. Earlier this year, the state government allocated a modest $4 million increase to the Council on Domestic Violence. However, on Thursday the 1st of August, Brenda Stanfill of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence addressed the council, stating that this amount is inadequate and calling for $20 million more to tackle and prevent domestic violence. A twenty twenty study by the council revealed that a majority of Alaskan women have experienced violence from a partner, a 7% increase since twenty fifteen, despite a decrease in prevention funding during that period. Stanfill aims to convince the government that investment is crucial to ensuring safety at home for Alaskans.

Safety is in the spotlight in Finland too, particularly for its migrant workforce. For two decades, Thai workers have been responsible for harvesting 90% of Finland's berries. However, in March, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs uncovered slave-like conditions and charged several berry companies with human trafficking, halting the industry. On Tuesday the 30th of July, a breakthrough occurred when the Finnish and Thai Ministers of Employment announced an agreement to enhance working conditions. The new deal includes a guaranteed salary increase and closer monitoring of hiring practices. Although the berry season is nearing its end, Thai workers are now returning to northern Finland to pick the valuable fruits.

These often exploited workers have been fighting a long legal battle to be treated fairly. For a detailed look at this fight, you can find a link in the show notes.

Keeping safe in Iceland has been an issue for those living near the Sundhnúkur volcano and its near-constant eruptions. There’s been over a month of calm, promising some normality for the town of Grindavik, but the Icelandic Met Office reported on Tuesday the 30th of July that a new eruption at the site is expected in the coming days. The Met Office has been monitoring the magma chamber below the volcano and found that it has now refilled enough to trigger a new event soon. Anyone brave enough to return to Grindavik should be ready to leave if the volcano wakes once again.

Let's conclude with a remarkable discovery from Greenland. On Monday the 5th of August, the University of Vermont published a research paper revealing surprising findings about Greenland's past. Scientists drilling deep into the ice sheet retrieved an ice core, which typically records environmental history over millions of years.

However, they found a middle section containing plant, insect, and soil fungus fossils instead of solid ice. This suggests that Greenland, at some point in the last million years, transformed from a glacial desert into a lush ecosystem, only to revert to its current Arctic state. Lead researcher Paul Bierman emphasized that such abrupt environmental changes highlight the urgent need to address climate change, as rapid shifts could dramatically impact vital ecosystems like Greenland's.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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Bless bless