Arctic Watch

Facts About the Arctic

Month: June 2023

Sustainable Development of Protected Arctic Areas Discussed at SPIEF 2023

Conservation of ecological systems in the Arctic and the prospects for developing specially protected natural areas were discussed at the session “The Russian Arctic – Focal point. Protected Areas in the 21st Century” held during the St. Petersburg International Economic…

Book Review: Red Arctic: Russian Strategy Under Putin

Elizabeth Buchanan notes that publishing a book just as the central character invades a neighbouring country presents an array of challenges. There are also difficulties in reviewing said book, when – understandably enough – new arguments appear in the afterword….

Check against delivery

Remarks by Executive Vice-President Timmermans and High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on the new outlook on threats of climate change and environmental degradation on peace, security and defence. It’s abundantly clear that the growing impacts of the climate crisis and environmental degradation…

European Court of Human Rights rules ‘Arctic 30’ were arbitrarily detained

The European Court of Human Rights issued its ruling today in the long-running case of the Arctic 30 v Russia, finding that Russian authorities arbitrarily detained the 28 Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists and violated their right to freedom…

National Geographic Explorers win award for visualizing arctic climate change

An innovative virtual reality project created by National Geographic Explorers in collaboration with local communities was recognized with the “Best in Category: Visualize” during the XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change earlier this month. The project, “Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk” was selected…

The new Cold War in the Arctic, explained

Climate change creates a new battleground for the U.S., Russia and China The battle for control of the Arctic Circle is, er, heating up. The Associated Press reported that Nome, Alaska will be the site of America’s first deepwater Arctic port —…

Time To Work Together to Protect Arctic Biodiversity

Species around the globe are under threat – from mammals and birds to fish and reptiles. In fact, global wildlife populations have decreased an average of 69 per cent in the past 50 years. And the climate crisis is only making the problem worse. In…

Russia bans World Wildlife Fund, accusing the environmental group of undermining Arctic development

Russia’s Prosectuor General has outlawed the local operations of the World Wildlife Fund, designating the group as an “undesirable organization” on the grounds that it poses a threat to Russia’s national security: Under the pretext of preserving the environment, WWF carries out…

World Oceans Day in USA get new bills to protect Pacific, Arctic oceans from offshore drilling

To mark World Oceans Day, Congressmen Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Mike Levin (D- San Juan Capistrano) announced they will introduce a package of legislation to permanently protect the West Coast and Arctic Ocean from the dangers of fossil fuel…

Russia could return to Arctic Council ‘when conditions are right’: ICC Canada president

Russia could come back to the Arctic Council if and when the war in Ukraine comes to an end, according to Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada president Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk. Koperqualuk gave a lecture on “why Inuit matter globally” about Indigenous…