ARCTIC: Sanctioning Russia & more – 27th Feb 2024

Góðan daginn from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Arctic Update from the 27th of February twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what’s going down North of the Arctic Circle!

The biggest story this week belongs to Russia. On Wednesday the 21st, the US and the UK unleashed a wave of economic sanctions against Russia following the death of Alexei Navalny, an opposition figure against Putin’s regime, in an Arctic prison. The repercussions have been swift. The US froze assets belonging to Russian shipbuilder Zvezda, halting production on fifteen gas tankers for the ambitious Arctic LNG2 project. Meanwhile, the UK implemented its inaugural sanctions targeting Russian energy firms, including Arctic LNG2, impounding assets and banning gas imports from Russia.

Just a day before, on Tuesday the 20th, The Barents Observer reported that a 400-meter gas tanker destined for Arctic LNG2 had been stranded in the Barents Sea for six months due to US sanctions, disrupting export plans and undermining Russia's aspirations for Arctic dominance.

While these sanctions hinder Russia's energy expansion, enthusiasm for Russian Arctic energy persists within the EU. A report from the Institute for Energy Economics, released on Thursday the 22nd, shows that EU nations are purchasing over half of Russia's gas output, with spending exceeding $30 billion US dollars since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. Among buyers, Spain, France, and Belgium stand out, collectively absorbing eighty percent of Russian gas imports. However, the report underscores Norway's increasing capacity as a gas producer and exporter, emerging as the sole credible alternative energy source for many EU nations.

Following Russia's incursion into Ukraine and its heightened military activities in the north, the traditionally peaceful Arctic region is witnessing a shift in dynamics. Finland's NATO membership last year marked a significant step, and on Monday the 26th, Sweden cleared the final hurdle for its accession to the alliance. Initially vetoed by Hungary, the deal gained traction after the visit of Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish Prime Minister, to Hungary on Friday the 23rd, where an arms deal was negotiated in exchange for support. With this development, every Arctic nation, except Russia, will soon be a NATO member once the membership process concludes.

Speaking of safety in the Arctic, according to Jonas Gahr Støre, the Norwegian Prime Minister, Norway’s citizens should feel safe. Speaking at the Kirkenes Conference on Wednesday the 21st at the Russian border, Støre remarked that “we do not see any direct military threat against Norway today.” At the same time, he revealed new major investments in Norway’s military. A four-year plan yet to be published promises a historic level of investment with a large proportion going to northern Norway and the Finnmark region which borders Russia. Støre emphasized that the purpose of these investments is to reassure the public of their safety rather than prepare for any imminent conflict.

As the Arctic braces for potential military escalations, Greenland charts a different course, prioritizing peace and cooperation. On Wednesday the 21st, the Greenlandic government unveiled the long-awaited Arctic foreign, security, and defense strategy for twenty twenty-four to twenty thirty-three. One of its main goals is to bolster collaboration with Alaska, Canada, and Iceland in trade, aiming to position Greenland as a beacon of peace in the region while maintaining ties with NATO. Globally, Greenland intends to elevate its presence by seeking independent membership in the UN's crucial decision-making bodies, moving beyond its current status as a UN member under Denmark's empire.

In Canada, the Supreme Court upheld a crucial legal decision permitting all Indigenous groups to oversee their own child and family protection services. The decision marks a pivotal shift away from the harmful practice of separating Indigenous children from their communities and placing them in southern foster homes.

Initially enacted in January twenty twenty, this legislation faced opposition from the Quebec government, which challenged federal jurisdiction over provincial policies. However, Canada's highest court ruled in favor of the legislation, affirming its constitutionality nationwide. Recognizing the importance of cultural sensitivity in safeguarding Indigenous children's well-being, representatives from Inuit, Métis, and First Nations have welcomed the ruling, expressing hope for an end to the intergenerational trauma inflicted by past policies.

Less welcome in Canada is the news that the wildfire season for twenty twenty-four has already begun. Alberta's regional government sounded the alarm with the announcement of fifty-four new fires on Tuesday, the 20th. Meanwhile, the North Western Territories government revealed to CBC News on Thursday, the 22nd the ominous presence of numerous underground fires smoldering beneath the snow, poised to reignite. Both territories are asking for additional federal funding to train volunteer firefighters who will be ready by May at the earliest. Last year saw the worst wildfires in Canada’s history, and it looks like twenty twenty-four is on the same path.

If you want to monitor Canada’s wildfire season, the Canadian government maintains a live map. Link in the show notes!

Amidst the ongoing fiery challenges in the Arctic, Iceland grapples with the looming threat of another volcanic eruption. On Friday the 23rd, the Icelandic Meteorological Office announced that magma is accumulating beneath the same region that has erupted three times in three months, with a new eruption possible within a week. The bill facilitating the buyout of residents from the evacuated town of Grindavik was enacted into law on the same day. To assist residents, the Icelandic government has established a property management company, offering them the opportunity to sell their properties and relieve themselves of current housing debt by the end of twenty twenty-four.

Adding to Iceland’s woes, the Icelandic Federation of Trade investigated shipping giants Samskip and Eimskip, scrutinizing their business activities from two thousand eight to twenty thirteen. Published on Thursday the 22nd, the findings revealed that these companies worked together and unlawfully inflated prices for their services within Iceland, inflicting an estimated $450 million US dollars worth of damage on Icelandic society. The repercussions were profound, triggering artificial inflation and soaring mortgage rates, even as the companies lowered prices in neighboring nations. In response, Eimskip has settled for a $10 million US dollar payment, while Samskip faces a $30 million US dollar fine, currently under appeal.

Turning to Alaska, where a wide-ranging education bill was passed on Thursday the 22nd. Senator Jake Hoffman introduced The Internet for Schools bill, which will provide about $250 million dollars to permanently increase state education funding and boost internet speeds in some rural schools. Alaskan schools will receive about $700 dollars more per student, much less than the $1,400 initially requested. However, it is still the first large funding boost for Alaskan schools since twenty sixteen and will provide vital support to the region’s students.

Alaskan whales need as much help as students do. A new study, published by the American Geophysical Union on Wednesday the 21st, tracked the movements of bowhead whales in the Bering Sea from two thousand eight to twenty twenty-two. Once on the brink of extinction due to commercial whaling, the bowhead whale population has rebounded to around 17,000 thanks to the Arctic nations’ extensive conservation efforts. However, challenges loom large on the horizon. With the Arctic Ocean emerging as a key shipping route, whale feeding grounds are increasingly overlapping with vessel traffic. Even though the whales have currently evaded fatal encounters with ships, the study warns of a rising risk of lethal vessel strikes.

Finally, The Arctic Winter Games, the sporting highlight of the Arctic calendar, will unfold in Alaska from the 10th to the 16th of March, attracting athletes from across the Arctic to compete in traditional Indigenous sports. However, last month, preparations encountered a setback as thirty athletes from Indigenous communities faced travel denials due to the absence of passport facilities in their remote homes. On Tuesday the 20th, Sport North, the organization overseeing the games, came to the rescue by extending passport deadlines until the day before the athletes' departure to Alaska, which should help the athletes reach the competition.

Aaaaand that’s it for this week.

Do you know that besides the Arctic Update, we also do others? Our latest ones are the Ocean Update, about the 70% of the earth covered in salt water, and the Multilateral Update, about all the world's major multilateral institutions. The other ones are all country updates, we have a selection of countries from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Check roroshok.com/updates to see the full list. We left the link in the show notes as well.

Bless bless