The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of 13 November, 2023
Baffinland Ship Upgrade Reduces Noise and Number of Crossings
As reported by Nunatsiaq News on November 14, the Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. shipped a record of nearly 6.1 million tons of ore through Milne Inlet in Nunavut this year, while reducing the number of crossings. The company was able to use fewer ships due to the introduction of capesize bulk carriers, which are more than double the size of previous ships, have less emissions, and are quieter. While Baffinland continues to use maritime shipping, it is considering a rail project to reduce shipping activity in the area. (Nunatsiaq News)
Take 1: The decision by the Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. to switch to larger but quieter bulk carriers highlights the impact of shipping on northern communities, particularly from noise pollution. With the Arctic home to many marine animals that rely on sound and require quiet oceans for survival, underwater noise pollution is a critical concern. Ship noise from heavy machinery and propellers can interfere with essential biological functions like communication, navigation, and locating prey. Undersea noise can also alter behavior, damage hearing, and cause stress that affect the health of noise-sensitive species. In addition to these ecological effects, noise pollution threatens the food security and livelihoods of many Inuit communities that depend on marine wildlife for subsistence and culture. Several Indigenous settlements have already observed that increasing ship traffic has led to the disappearance of narwhals, belugas, seals, walrus, and fish from their usual areas. Therefore, as shipping continues to grow, it is essential that countries strengthen regulations on noise pollution to preserve Arctic wildlife and protect communities. Although Bafflinland has taken steps to limit its noise, shipping activity will continue to impact the marine ecosystem near Milne Inlet. As the primary stakeholders in the region and those most affected by increasing maritime traffic, Inuit communities must have a leading role in the governance and management of Arctic shipping. (Grist, Oceans North, The Guardian)
Arctic Amplification Accelerates Breaching of Global Temperature Thresholds
As reported by Phys.org on November 13, a new modeling study published in Earth System Dynamics has estimated that the rapidly warming Arctic hastens the rise of global temperatures to the 1.5°C threshold by five years and the 2℃ threshold by eight years. To quantify the impact of the region’s rapidly increasing temperatures, known as Arctic amplification, researchers created alternative climate projections without fast Arctic warming and compared the timelines to existing models. The study also found that Arctic warming adds significant uncertainty to climate models and requires further research. (Phys.org)
Take 2: With the Arctic warming more than four times faster than the rest of the world, significant research has examined the impacts of rising temperatures on the region’s local environment and the global ecosystem. However, the new modeling study adds to this work by providing key insights into the implications of Arctic warming on achieving global targets, like those in the Paris Agreement. The research reveals that the Arctic and its disproportionately fast warming have a critical role in accelerating when the planet will breach its global temperature thresholds, further emphasizing the importance of this region for the international community. Moreover, feedback loops could continue to amplify warming in the region, affecting global temperatures. For example, thawing permafrost can release vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere that would further contribute to global warming. Additionally, melting sea ice reduces the Arctic’s ability to reflect solar energy, which is a key process for cooling the planet. While these concerns are gaining greater attention, their long-term impacts remain unclear, especially as the region continues to rapidly change. As the study notes, the Arctic accounts for substantially more uncertainty in climate projection than other areas. Thus, as leaders, experts, and policymakers gather once again to discuss climate policies and global temperature targest at COP28, improving Arctic research and preserving the region must be a priority. (MIT Climate Portal, National Snow and Ice Data Center, Science)
Maritime Activity Increasing in the Northwest Passage
As reported by NNSL Media on November 13, ship traffic in the Northwest Passage has substantially increased in recent years as the route has become more accessible due to sea ice melt. In 2022, there were 212 unique vessels operating in the Canadian Arctic, a 35 percent increase from 2016. Researchers and officials have also noted that as the ice diminishes, the size of ships entering the passage have grown, including some of the largest vessels like cruise liners, bulk carriers, and tankers. (NNSL Media)
Take 3: Across the Arctic, rising temperatures and melting sea ice have opened new opportunities for maritime activity. However, the increasing ship traffic in the Arctic also raises the potential for large-scale accidents. For instance, an incident involving an oil tanker could have severe environmental and economic implications for the region with limited options to address the crisis. Although Arctic passages are becoming more navigable, the region’s remoteness, hazards, and extreme weather continue to make sailing in the High North dangerous. Moreover, research has found that while sea ice melt makes Arctic routes more accessible, receding ice also leads to more fog, which is even more challenging as it reduces visibility. Much of the Arctic’s seabed also remains unmapped. These conditions, combined with sparse search and rescue resources and infrastructure, substantially hinder the ability of emergency services to operate in the region. The recent running aground of the MV Ocean Explorer cruise ship in Greenland with 206 people on board clearly highlights the gaps in emergency response as the nearest naval vessel was about 1,380 miles or at least five days away. Therefore, as demand for Arctic passages grow, countries should work to ensure a safer Arctic by investing more in emergency capabilities, strengthening maritime regulations, and improving critical tools, like ice charts and undersea maps. (AP News, Council on Strategic Risks, The Guardian, US Government Accountability Office)
Hurtigruten Celebrates Success of Arctic-Aged Sparkling Wine Project
Norwegian passenger ship company Hurtigruten submerged a second batch of 4,500 bottles of sparkling wine in a secret undersea cellar off the Northern Norwegian coast, Cruise & Ferry Review reported on November 10. In partnership with the British Rathfinny Wine Estate, this second attempt follows the success of an initial trial in May. where 1,700 bottles of wine were aged for the first time under the Arctic Ocean. After a minimum six-month maturation period, this latest batch of the English company’s wine will go towards replenishing stocks aboard Hurtigruten’s fleet. Originally intended to commemorate Hurtigruten’s 130th-anniversary celebrations, the success of the ‘Havets Bobler’ (bubbles of the sea) project has inspired the company to make plans to expand their novel Arctic underwater aging process to include luxury caviar. (Cruise & Ferry Review)
Take 4: Hurtigruten, a name once synonymous in Norway with the provision of routine passenger and cargo services, has transformed from its modest beginnings in just under a decade into a world leader in polar expedition cruises. Once struggling financially and reliant on government support, this successful turnaround reflected a change in business strategy to capitalize on the growth of the experience-based economy, leveraging Arctic proximity and operational expertise to carve out a niche in the highly competitive international cruise market. Now, Hurtigruten is facing increasing competition in the very niche it helped popularize. Their response? Further differentiation through exclusive, high-end experiences. The company’s recent venture in underwater wine aging, coupled with the recently announced rebranding of their premier expedition line, exemplifies this shift. At the same time, descriptions of the wine as ‘enriched by the Northern Lights and Midnight Sun’, also signal Hurtigruten’s framing of the Arctic as its own luxury selling point. This move aligns with a broader trend in the cruise industry, wherein the region is increasingly marketed as a premium destination. While this luxury repositioning appeals to affluent tourists seeking unique experiences, it raises questions about the implications for the coastal Arctic communities. These communities see their everyday needs overshadowed by the escalating tourism and commercialism of the Arctic, driven by the very companies they have depended on in the past for essential services. This irony is only sharpened by the ongoing challenges communities are experiencing in critical resupply shipments and lifeline services. As the Arctic undergoes its luxury makeover, one can’t help but raise the question: at whose expense? (Barents Observer, Food & Wine, Forbes, Harvard Business School, Hurtigruten, Travel Agent Central, WWF)
UK Deterrence and Assurance Conference in Scotland Sees Focus on High North Security
The 2023 Deterrence and Assurance Academic Alliance (DAAA) Conference, a key annual event in the UK’s defense calendar, was held in Edinburgh, Scotland, on November 14-15. This year’s conference, co-hosted with the Scottish Council on Global Affairs, saw the Arctic and High North feature as a conference theme for the first time. An initiative of the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the DAAA Conference has gathered experts, stakeholders, and academics to promote and develop UK expertise on the latest issues in deterrence and other related topics since 2021. (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory)
Take 5: The DAAA Conference’s focus on the Arctic and High North not only speaks to the region’s escalating geopolitical significance, but signals a substantial shift in the UK’s approach to the region. Since 2013, the UK’s Arctic policy has primarily viewed the Arctic’s strategic significance through the lens of environmental change. However, recent policy developments indicate a distinct reconfiguration towards national security. This shift, although subtle, is significant. Referenced discretely in the UK’s 2021 Integrated Review and crystallized in the 2023 Refresh, the UK commits to concrete defense objectives in the region, hinting at intentions to increase military presence and operational capabilities. The UK is now scrutinizing its capabilities to achieve these objectives, which include critical infrastructure protection, securing freedom of navigation, and countering destabilizing activities. Scotland’s role in this recalibrated focus is intriguing yet underrepresented. Given its geographical positioning and military assets, Scotland is instrumental for achieving defense and security objectives in the North Atlantic and High North. Bases like RAF Lossiemouth and HMNB Clyde are not only critical for the UK but also for NATO’s northern defenses. However, Scotland’s strategic importance is scarcely acknowledged in the UK’s Arctic defense documents. This oversight, as highlighted by a recent report of the Scottish Affairs Committee, calls for a re-evaluation of Scotland’s defense presence and capabilities, particularly in light of emerging threats. The DAAA Conference’s attention to the Arctic and the partnership with Scotland signify a growing acknowledgment of these complexities. However, if Scotland’s critical role in contributing to the defense and security of the High North continues to be undervalued, the UK risks not only strategic vulnerabilities, but also deepening the strains in an already tense political union. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Scottish Affairs Committee, RUSI Journal, The Independent)