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India and Russia Deepen Maritime Cooperation

As reported by High North News on October 6, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and Russia’s Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic met in Vladivostok to discuss the usage of the Northern Sea Route and the development of maritime communications between the two countries. The ministers also considered the proposed Eastern Maritime Corridor, an adjacent route to the NSR that would connect Russia to India, enabling greater trade and transportation of potential goods such as coking coal, oil, and liquefied natural gas. (High North News)

Take 1: The meeting between ministers marks a deepening of Arctic and maritime cooperation between Russia and India. Like China, India’s interest in using the Northern Sea Route bolsters the prospects of the passage. In recent years, Russia has invested heavily in infrastructure and facilities to transform the NSR into a major transportation route. Despite significant development, broad international usage of the NSR has remained limited due to reliability issues, difficult operating conditions, and environmental concerns. Yet, that may be changing as countries like China and India increase their involvement in the passage. Earlier this year, Russia announced that it was prepared to create a joint working organ with China on the development of the NSR, and a Chinese container ship just completed its first round-trip voyage across the NSR, paving the way for regular container shipping along the route. Similarly, increasing trade with India would enhance transport across the NSR. Although Arctic shipping and the future of the NSR are uncertain, growing engagement with the NSR improves the long-term viability of the route. With climate change affecting the reliability of other transportation corridors, such as the severe droughts disrupting the operations of the Panama Canal, more countries may look to the Arctic as an alternative, further raising the potential for the NSR. (Harvard International Review, Reuters, The Barents Observer)

Average September Temperatures Reach New Record in Finland

As reported by Eye on the Arctic on October 10, the Finnish Meteorological Institute announced that the average temperature for Finland in September was 12.2 ℃, the highest average temperature for the month since measurement began. In addition to the record average, the institute stated that Northern Lapland was experiencing exceptionally high temperatures. The FMI also indicated that most parts of Finnish Lapland, which is in the Arctic, had exceedingly high precipitation levels in September, and some areas in central Finland received large amounts of rain, which is rare in that part of the country. (Eye on the Arctic)

Take 2: Once again, temperatures in the Arctic are reaching record levels, illustrating the alarming rate of warming in the region. However, Finland is not the only country in the Arctic facing usually warm temperatures. Meteorologists in Canada have also announced that the Canadian Arctic is experiencing exceptionally high temperatures, with a current period of warmth driving temperatures in the North more than 10 ℃ above normal for this time of year. Thus, drastic heating is occurring across the region, contributing to numerous challenges, including permafrost thaw, sea ice melt, biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and wildfires. Many of these impacts are not only consequences of climate change but also amplify and accelerate global warming. Melting sea ice and receding glaciers reduce the Earth’s ability to reflect sunlight, altering the Earth’s energy budget or the balance between incoming and outgoing solar energy. Thawing permafrost and wildfires also release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Therefore, although the Arctic has a critical role in regulating the global ecosystem, it is also a vulnerable region, and sustained warming can cause changes beyond the point of adaptability. The record average September temperatures in Finland should serve as another warning that urgent climate action is needed to mitigate Arctic warming and preserve the communities, wildlife, and ecosystems in the region. (NASA, NOAA, Norwegian Polar Institute)

Biological Particles Contribute to Arctic Cloud Formation

As reported by ScienceAlert on October 8, a new article published in Nature Communications has found that biological particles, mainly fungal spores, are contributing to cloud formation in the Arctic. Using samples that contained micrometer-sized materials from the atmosphere above Zeppelin Observatory in Norway, the scientists established that biological particles contributed to ice nucleation, which means that these particles enabled water in the atmosphere to condense on them and freeze into ice crystals that form clouds. The researchers noted that these particles remain a significant source of uncertainty in existing climate models. (ScienceAlert)

Take 3: By establishing that biological particles contribute to Arctic cloud formation, the new research in Nature Communications provides key insights for climate science. The Arctic has relatively low concentrations of aerosols, so even small changes in the amount of particles in the atmosphere can have significant impacts on the weather. This is important as warming temperatures are expected to melt more ice and snow, exposing the land and ocean, and enabling a greater number of organisms, like fungi, to release biological aerosols. Based on the new research, the higher concentrations of these particles will lead to increased cloud cover and rainfall that could severely affect the Arctic. Extreme precipitation in the region has already contributed to increased permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, and landslides that endanger Arctic inhabitants. Moreover, as rain falls on snowpacks, it freezes into an ice layer that traps vegetation. Many animals that depend on these plants, especially reindeer, are unable to break through thick ice layers and often die of starvation. With many Indigenous communities relying on reindeer and Arctic wildlife for subsistence, the loss of these populations would exacerbate food insecurity. Additionally, cloud cover can affect the Arctic’s ability to reflect sunlight, affecting the energy budget. Therefore, scientists should use this new research to improve existing climate models and better predict the impact of clouds on the region. (NOAA, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Weizmann Institute of Science)

Russia and Norway Hold Protocol Meeting

As reported by High North News on October 6, the Chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters met with the Chief of the Russian Federal Security Service’s (FSB) Border Directorate for the Western Arctic Region to discuss joint challenges and objectives on fishery management and border and rescue cooperation. The Norwegian delegation also consisted of representatives from the Norwegian Coast Guard, the Norwegian Border Commissioner, and the Norwegian Defense Attaché in Moscow. The protocol meeting took place aboard a coast guard vessel near Norway’s border with Russia, and both sides stated the discussions were professional and constructive. (High North News)

Take 4: Fishery management, search and rescue, and the border are long-standing areas of cooperation between Russia and Norway. However, the latest Norwegian-Russian summit is particularly important due to rising regional tensions and the limited Arctic cooperation with Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. In addition to its increasing militarization, Russia has updated its defense posture to strengthen its presence and respond to the admission of Finland and Sweden into NATO, increasing its military exercises and expanding its patrols in the region. For instance, a Russian maritime patrol aircraft recently flew in the vicinity of the UK Carrier Strike Group operating in northern Norway. At the same time, NATO forces have bolstered their Arctic operations and exercises as well. This increasing military activity raises the potential for accidents that lead to confrontation. Thus, dialogues, like the protocol meeting, are critical to avoiding miscalculation, especially as other forums for discussion in the region have been suspended. Moreover, although Russia and Norway have had constructive cooperation for many years due to their proximity and shared interests, Russia’s war in Ukraine has eroded trust between the countries with many bilateral institutions, such as the Russian-Norwegian Commission on Nuclear Safety, ceasing operations. Therefore, these conversations could help strengthen relations and facilitate broader cooperation in other areas, such as nuclear safety, environmental protection, and Arctic research. (Arctic Today, Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Arctic Institute)

Moving North: Salmon Found in Arctic Rivers

As reported by Alaska Native News on October 11, scientists have confirmed that salmon are spawning in the Arctic Ocean area, beyond their typical range. The research project, led by the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, found about 100 chum salmon that were either actively spawning or had finished spawning in the Colville River watershed, which empties into the Arctic Ocean. The researchers left temperature sensors to determine if the rivers completely freeze during the winter and intend to return in the fall of 2024 to determine if the salmon are able to successfully reproduce in the region. (Alaska Native News)

Take 5: The findings from the new research are alarming as they provide new evidence that more fish species are moving into the Arctic from warmer waters. Although salmon has always had a limited presence in the high north of the Alaskan Arctic, scientists and Indigenous communities in the region have observed increasing numbers of salmon in recent years, which is beyond their traditional habitat in southern Alaska. As the climate continues to change, rising temperatures will push more plant and animal species into the Arctic, potentially increasing competition with the region’s existing organisms. While a warmer Arctic will attract more wildlife from the south, the higher temperatures also threaten the region’s native species that have adapted to colder environments to survive. In addition to these ecosystem impacts, the northward movement of flora and fauna can affect Arctic communities. Salmon is a dietary staple for many people in southern Alaska, and the species is important for local economies. Therefore, the decline of salmon populations from their traditional range could reduce food security, exacerbate inequalities, and threaten the livelihoods of many in these settlements. The findings from the project should encourage further research on the migration of species into the Arctic to better understand their impacts on people, biodiversity, and the environment. (Arctic Council, NOAA, World Wildlife Fund)

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