Arctic Watch

Facts About the Arctic

Month: October 2023

Türkiye joins ‘Arctic treaty,’ gains access to North Pole

With the Turkish parliament ratifying the 103-year-old Spitsbergen Agreement, which allows parties to acquire property and residency in the northern archipelago, Turkish citizens can now benefit from the privilege of living and engaging in commercial activities in the Arctic region near the…

Growing International Chorus Demands Reduction of Arctic Shipping Impacts

Responding to the increasing pressure on the Arctic region by the climate crisis, more than 75 organisations and individuals – including scientists, writers, and photographers – have signed up to the ‘Arctic Ocean Action’, which calls on the international community…

Norway launches Wildland Fires Initiative as part of Arctic Council chairship

With multiple northern nations experiencing a surge in wildfires in recent years, Norway has introduced a Wildland Fires Initiative as part of its Arctic Council chairship. “Wildland fires are a growing emergency, and a prime example of why we need…

Implementation Plan for the United States’ National Strategy for the Arctic Region

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to take bold action to meet the urgency of the climate crisis and to protect our lands and waters for future generations. This ambitious climate and conservation agenda is evident in the recently released National Strategy…

“What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic”: EAC calls for better focus of Arctic issues in Whitehall and funding boost for research

Rising sea levels, contributed to by Arctic ice melting, could risk 1.5 million UK properties flooding, with growing evidence suggesting that changes in the Arctic could make weather events in the UK more extreme. However, with much of the Arctic…

Alaska sues Biden administration over canceled Arctic oil and gas leases

An Alaska state agency on Wednesday sued the Biden administration over its decision to cancel oil and gas leases in the state’s North Slope, one of the country’s largest reserves of pristine federal land. The lawsuit filed in federal court…

Northern and Indigenous partners gather for the 4th annual Arctic and Northern Policy Framework Leadership Committee meeting

Through the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (the Framework), Indigenous, federal, territorial and provincial partners are working collaboratively to develop long-lasting opportunities for residents of the North and Arctic, including Indigenous Peoples, that support the region’s unique needs and protect…

Nunavut Arctic College offers new culinary arts program at Cambridge Bay campus

For a little over a month, the scent of freshly-baked pastries and meals has been wafting through the corridors of the Nunavut Arctic College campus in Cambridge Bay. The post-secondary school is offering a new culinary arts program to apprentice…

The End of Arctic Exceptionalism

Following the invasion of Ukraine, the region is reproducing deep divisions between Russia and the West in lower latitudes. While climatic tipping points have received significant attention from scientists, geopolitical tipping points in the Arctic are little examined. Yet that…

China-made robotic vehicle explores underside of Arctic ice

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) developed by a Chinese university team has obtained abundant data during the country’s latest Arctic expedition, revealing various features beneath the North Pole. The red, fish-shaped robot called “XH1000” was made by researchers from Harbin…