The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of August 27, 2018

Russia’s Military Expansion Continues

Russia has begun construction of a new Air Defense base in the Arctic port city of Tiksi. On August 27 the fleet Commander took part in a ceremony commemorating the start of the construction. Last November, Russia had stated that it was developing a new air defense division in the areas of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, as well as in the towns of Dixon and Tiksi. The fleet Commander expects construction to be done in 6 months. The Northern fleet is tasked with defending Russia’s national interests in the Arctic and other regions (Arctic.ru).

Take 1: Russia’s military modernization programs and its build up in the Arctic have been occurring for a sustained period of time. The fact that this is still occurring while the country faces sanctions is a testimony to the priority the government is placing on its military. While the building of a new Air Defense base in the Arctic comes as no surprise, it continues to show how far behind the West remains in really seeing the region as a strategic priority. It also raises questions about Russia’s future intentions, and making the U.S. and neighboring countries weary while preventing any serious rapprochement from occurring. An example of Russia’s continuing show of force will occur on Sept 11-15, as Russia plans to hold its largest military exercise since the Cold War, with over 300,000 soldiers participating. With this and Arctic military buildup occurring, it seems that the potential for future conflict is only increasing (National Public Radio).

Taking the POP Out of the Arctic

On August 27, an international team of researchers published a study revealing that the level of persistent organic pollutants (POP) is decreasing in the Arctic. The scientists looked at over 1000 samples and decade’s worth of data to help come to that conclusion. POPs are regulated by the Stockholm Convention (signed in 2001 and now recognized by 182 countries) that intended to eliminate, restrict, and minimize their usage. The study reveals that the treaty and earlier phase-outs have contributed to the decline of the presence of these pollutants in the Arctic (ScienceDaily, The Independent).

Take 2: Often talk of pollutants in the Arctic is negative, but here is a positive story of what countries can do when they agree that a problem exists, and unite in confronting it. POPs are found to cause health problems for people and wildlife, and for a fragile ecosystem like the one in the Arctic their negative effects are compounded throughout the food chain. A group of people that is particularly affected is indigenous people in Arctic coastal areas as they consume more fish and wild animals than most other people, exposing them to a higher risk of contamination. The Stockholm Convention shows that when the international community is presented with facts and alternatives, the use of pollutants can be decreased to such an extent that their negative effects over time are mitigated. The hope remains that future efforts to reduce global pollutants will be as effective.

Frozen No Longer

On August 21, major newspapers covered a story about how Arctic sea ice north of Greenland has started to break up, opening waters that normally always are frozen, even in summer. The sea ice is some of the oldest and thickest in the Arctic, and never before this year has a thinning been recorded here. Usually ice to the north of Greenland is very compacted due to the Transpolar Drift Stream, a weather pattern that pushes ice to the coastline where it packs, piles up to 70 feet in some places, and becomes thick and durable. This February and now again in August, winds and unusually warm weather have pushed the ice away from the coast, to an area where it will melt more easily (The Guardian, The Telegraph).

Take 3: It is expected that the sea ice off the north coast of Greenland will be the last to retain year-round sea ice cover in the north. It has therefore been referred to as “The last ice area.” Recent observations have shown that the area is more vulnerable than previously thought, even though it still most likely will be the last area to lose ice. The loss of such ice is another indication of how the Arctic has changed. The new Arctic is an Arctic with more seasonal ice, ice that is thinner, more mobile and melts away every summer. As the ice melts, sunlight will be absorbed by the dark blue of the open ocean, further heating the air and water. It will then result in more melting of sea ice, and more heat absorption in the ocean. The future looks more wet than frozen, and it’s a future the world is slowly adapting to.

Rise of Alkaline River Water in the Arctic

A new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology suggests that the same factors that are driving Arctic climate change are also contributing to a geological response that has the possibility of countering some of the negative effects of that change. The Arctic is warming up at a rate twice as fast as other parts of the world, destabilizing the environment. Yet, according to the study, two major rivers in the Arctic show an increased production of riverine alkalinity. When rainwater weathers rocks, it starts a process that turns carbon dioxide gas into salt, storing it. The more alkalinity in the water, the more carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (Environmental Science and Technology, Phys.org).

Take 4: While the rise of alkaline in the river water does counteract some of the negative effects of pollution, it does not do so at a rate that will make much of a long-term difference. At the same time an increase in alkaline levels can potentially have negative effects on the organisms that draw substance from the river water. It is too early to tell what the long-term effects of the increased salt are. The international community, just like it has in the past, must come together to recognize that threat of global pollution affects all parts of an ecosystem, and that any short-term changes that an ecosystem makes to try to adapt to pollution won’t move at a fast-enough rate to help. This makes it apparent that efforts must be made to reduce pollution at the source.

NOAA Convenes Panel in Juneau, Alaska

On August 28, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel convened in Juneau for 3 days. This group comprised of experts from both marine transportation and navigation meet twice annually. NOAA plans to use the meeting to establish priorities for its navigation services. NOAA provides charts, tide tables, and coast surveys that mariners rely on. The meeting is a chance for the panel to discuss the future of navigation in the Arctic region (U.S. News & World Report).

Take 5: The panel plays an important role in establishing the U.S. navigation rules for the foreseeable future. The Arctic region is undergoing so much change as a result of a warming climate that it’s a step in the right direction for NOAA to recognize how those changes impact maritime activities. The panel can potentially allow NOAA to begin the process of updating their systems and services to meet the climate related changes and challenges they produce.