The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of February 26, 2018

Happy International Polar Bear Day!

Zoos and conservation organizations around the world celebrated International Polar Bear Day on Tuesday, February 27 (Greenpeace, CHCH, People). Started by Polar Bears International, International Polar Bear Day is meant to create awareness about the white bears and how climate change threatens their future as well as easy ways to reduce emissions (Polar Bears International). For the few bears in UK zoos, International Polar Bear Day couldn’t come at a better time as Europe is experiencing a deep freeze while the Arctic is in the middle of a winter heat wave (The Guardian, Metro).

Take 1: Polar bears have been the face of climate change for years, but are starting to be replaced with species and scenarios that hit closer to home than an animal that most people will never see in the wild (TAI). That said, polar bears are actually interacting with humans more and more as they search for food in human settlements instead of on ice floes through the winter, which is worrying for humans and bears alike (WWF, Express).

Svalbard’s ‘doomsday vault’ to get a $13 million upgrade

Despite the nickname ‘doomsday vault’, the Svalbard vault has a purely peaceful goal: protect the world’s food supply by protecting the world’s seeds. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault does this by housing over one million seed samples from other seed vaults all over the world at -18 °C (-3 °F) (BBC). The vault, which turned 10 years old on February 26 of this year, will be fitted with a new access tunnel, service building, refrigerating units, and more from Norway’s Agriculture Ministry (Reuters).

Take 2: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is one of many of seed vaults worldwide, but acts like a reserve for those reserves because of its location in an accessible, but also seismically and politically stable region (Arctic.ru, Chicago Tribune). These depositories have a big role to play in not only the conservation of global biodiversity, but also human security by acting as an insurance policy for the global food supply. The first withdrawal from Svalbard’s seed vault was made in 2015 after the civil war in Syria caused damage to another seed bank near Aleppo (Reuters). New seed stocks generated from that withdrawal have already been returned to Svalbard. A new take on paying it forward!

Norway attempts to improve relations with Arctic neighbors

Norwegian representatives emphasized the importance of international cooperation and neighborly relations in the Barents Region at the Kirkenes Conference last week. Specifically, they called for Russia to facilitate cross-border business and for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region (Arctic.ru, TASS).

Take 3: Recently, Norwegians in the Barents Region have been feeling uneasy next to their Russian neighbours due to events like the arrest of Frode Berg, a local proponent of cross-border relations accused of being a spy by the Federal Security Service (FSB) and other issues experienced by Norwegians who are in Russia or travelling there. To the dismay of locals, these concerns were largely unaddressed by Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide at the conference (EOTA). Russia’s Arctic strategy is complex. The country has been praised for its practical cooperation in the region and criticized for its aggressive action and military presence (TAI), but it appears that locals have more than enough cause for concern.

Canada’s inquiry into missing women finishes Arctic hearings

Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, set up to examine the disproportionate violence against indigenous women in Canada, wrapped up the Arctic leg of its hearings this week (EOTA). Victims of violence and family members gathered to share stories of abuse and what they believe should be done to decrease the violence in their communities and improve victim outcomes (CBC). Advocates called for improved access to services and an end to the dehumanization of the country’s missing Indigenous women (EOTA).

Take 4: The lack of services in the Arctic was a common theme in many of the victims’ testimonies. For example, in many northern towns where court services are only brought in two or three times per year, any delay can significantly prolong proceedings and slow down the healing process for victims and their families (CBC). Aftercare is also an issue as many northern victims also lack organized, long-term support in the form of domestic violence shelters, permanent mental health workers, and culturally-sensitive support programs (EOTA).

Mixed results for Alaska in Trump’s 2019 budget

The Trump Administration recently released their federal budget for the 2019 Fiscal Year. If accepted, the State of Alaska can look forward to more resources for its military and coast guard as well as new energy projects, which are in line with the White House’s goal to “Strengthen America’s Energy Security.” The budget also includes cuts to Alaskan services and the Denali Commission (HNN).

Take 5: The proposed changes raising the most eyebrows relate to services for rural and Alaska Native communities and to the Denali Commission, which distribute federal funding for Alaskan infrastructure and climate change resilience projects (The Arctic Sounder, The Arctic Sounder). The combined effects of these cuts could be devastating to rural Alaskans, who may soon lose both community programs and the buildings that house them. While there is still time for budget amendments, it’s hard to say what the future holds (HNN).