The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of 19 September, 2022
More Military Drills in the Russian Arctic
As reported by Reuters on September 16, Russia conducted a military drill in the Chukchi Sea, an area of the Arctic Ocean separating Russia and Alaska, as part of the annual Russian Arctic military exercise known as Umka (meaning polar bear). The Umka-2022 drills mainly involved two nuclear-powered submarines, the Omsk and the Novosibirsk. Russia’s Bastion coastal missile system also took part in the drill, firing missiles from the Chukchi peninsula. The Ministry of Defence announced that the drills were designed to test Russia’s ability and readiness to defend the Russian arctic. (Reuters)
Take 1: Russia’s increasing military activity in the Arctic is alarming, with the Umka-2022 drill just one in a series of recent Russian military exercises in the region. However, the location of the exercise in the Chukchi Sea is especially important, with the area located at a critical point near the eastern entrance of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). With melting ice making the NSR increasingly navigable, Russia has worked to develop the passage as a new corridor for maritime transportation. At the same time, Russia has consistently claimed that most of the waters in the passage have the status of internal waters and that it has complete sovereignty over the route. By designating the NSR as internal waters, Russia is also claiming the legal right to regulate its use. Russia has demonstrated this authority through a recently proposed law requiring foreign warships and other state-owned vessels to seek authorization for passage through the NSR at least 90 days before entry. The US has long disputed Russia’s claims, arguing that the route is in international waters. Nevertheless, Umka-2022 emphasizes the continued strategic importance of the passage to Russia and how the country is prepared to use military force to defend what it considers to be its territorial sea. Although the US Navy has engaged in freedom of navigation operations to challenge restrictions on innocent passage in other areas such as the South China Sea, conducting similar operations in the Arctic could trigger a dangerous escalation of tensions. (Eye on the Arctic, International Institute for Law of the Sea Studies, The Arctic Institute)
Iceland Donates Books to Nunavut
As reported by Nunatsiaq News on September 20, the Icelandic Ambassador to Canada Hlynur Gudjonsson has gifted a collection of more than 30 books to the Nunavut Arctic College and the Nunavut Public Library System. The donation was part of an initiative to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and include Icelandic children’s stories, sagas, and poetry. The collection was received by Nunavut’s Minister of Education Pamela Gross and Minister of Culture and Heritage Joanna Quassa at a ceremony at the college. (Nunatsiaq News)
Take 2: In addition to diplomatic relations, Iceland and Nunavut share similarities in the importance they place on oral storytelling and tradition. Oral traditions are an integral part of Indigenous culture. They are important histories, stories, and teachings that allow Indigenous communities to share their own culture in their own words. But these traditions are also facing numerous threats. Colonization introduced beliefs that the written word is more trustworthy than oral history, which has damaged traditional ways of transmitting knowledge. Aggressive assimilation policies have also severely eroded Indigenous languages, a critical aspect of culture and oral storytelling. Indigenous languages and oral histories provide first-hand accounts of knowledge and sustain traditional ways of life. Therefore, preserving these traditions and the languages that support them is essential for the health and well-being of communities and ensuring that their knowledge of the land and nature continues to be passed down to future generations. Oral traditions also keep stories alive, which in turn keeps culture alive. Although books come from a different tradition than oral storytelling, the donation emphasizes the importance of sharing stories and preserving culture. (Arctic Council, The Canadian Encyclopedia)
Devastating Storm Hits Alaska: More to Come?
As reported by The Washington Post on September 18, Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska has declared an emergency after remnants of Pacific Typhoon Merbok hit the western coast of the state, impacting over 1,000 miles of coastline. No injuries or fatalities have been reported yet, but numerous communities have experienced major flooding, violent winds, infrastructure damage, power outages, and other hazards. The storm system is one of the largest and most severe in history. (The Washington Post)
Take 3: Climate change is increasing the risk of natural hazards, including the frequency and intensity of major storms like the one that hit western Alaska. Although these storms have devastating consequences for local communities, Indigenous communities are especially vulnerable. Many communities live in remote locations with limited or no road connections, making emergency response extremely difficult when flooding and severe winds damage roads, airports and other infrastructure. Many also rely exclusively on air transportation for critical supplies such as gas. While debris can delay these deliveries, significant damage to runways is disastrous. Additionally, other environmental impacts on coastal communities, such as melting permafrost and rising sea levels, enhance the threat of severe flooding during storms. The historic storm system that hit Alaska illustrates the growing dangers and challenges of climate change, particularly in the Arctic. In addition to broader policies to limit global warming, countries should invest more in mitigation and resilience measures in Arctic communities as they are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. (Alaska Public Media, Axios, High North News)
Internet for the High North: Broadband Coverage to Come Next Fall
As reported by High North News on September 22, the two satellites for the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission will be launched into space by SpaceX next fall. The program is led by the state-owned company Space Norway, which is under the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries. In partnership with the Norwegian Armed Forces, US Armed Forces, and the British satellite operator Inmarsat, Space Norway will use the satellites to provide broadband coverage throughout the circumpolar Arctic for the first time. (High North News)
Take 4: Current communication satellites move in a circular orbit around the equator, where the extreme latitudes of the Arctic generally fall outside the range of existing satellites. As a result, satellite communication in these areas is either limited, unstable, or unavailable. And yet, with commercial, military, and maritime activity increasing in the region, the need for reliable broadband coverage is also growing. Better communication will allow coast guard and naval vessels to strengthen their operations in the region, improving emergency response, search and rescue, and oil spill preparedness capabilities. Satellite communication will also enhance the ability of military forces to coordinate and operate in the High North. Additionally, stronger coverage will enable researchers to send and receive large amounts of data, supporting research activities across the region. The program can also help bring vital internet access to remote Indigenous communities that lack commercial communications infrastructure. Beyond communication, satellites are increasingly important for addressing a multitude of Arctic issues. Scientists have utilized satellite imagery and sensing for numerous applications, from measuring the thickness of Arctic sea ice to monitoring permafrost in the region. Thus, the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission is incredibly important for the Arctic and highlights the strong intersection between the Arctic and space. Countries should continue to utilize space technology to develop solutions to address the challenges in the Arctic. (BBC News, Space News, The National Science Foundation)
Northwest Territories Receive Wildfire Funding
As reported by CBC News on September 18, the federal government of Canada is providing $20 million CAD for wildfire prevention in the Northwest Territories. Michale McLeod, Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, announced the funding at the annual general meeting of the Northwest Territories Association of Communities. The funding will support vegetation management in 29 communities, including the implementation of fire breaks and fire fuel reduction strategies for over 1,200 hectares of land. (CBC News)
Take 5: Wildfires are a growing threat to the Arctic. Climate change, heat waves, and droughts have significantly altered the region, raising the frequency and destructiveness of wildfires. Rising temperatures are drying out vegetation, increasing the amount of fuel available to burn and leading to bigger blazes. At the same time, the warmer weather is contributing to more thunderstorms and lightning strikes, one of the main ignition sources for wildfires. The massive wildfires in Siberia, the Northwest Territories, and the typically fireproof southwest of Alaska illustrate the severity of the issue. These wildfires release immense amounts of unhealthy smoke and ash that can travel for hundreds of miles, leading to dangerous breathing conditions. But in addition to the health risks and physical danger to local communities, the blazes also emit vast amounts of carbon from the smoke and carbon-rich soil. These carbon emissions contribute to further climate change, which in turn increases the risk of climate-induced catastrophes like wildfires. According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, high-latitude wildfires were responsible for a greater share of global fire emissions in 2021 than any other year since monitoring started in 2003. This indicates that the emissions from wildfires in the Arctic are growing and are set to intensify as global warming continues. Against this backdrop, the funding for the Northwest Territories is an important step in mitigating the risk of these damaging wildfire