Deep-Water Port in Canadian Arctic Moves Forward
A deep-water port in Iqaluit, Nunavut, will go ahead and could be open as early as 2020, CBC News reported.
There are no deep-water ports in Nunavut. Cargo ships delivering supplies to the city of Iqaluit are forced to anchor offshore and use barges to offload their goods, a process that can take weeks.
The Canadian government had promised in July that it would provide C$64 million to fund the project, but suggested that the outcome might be contingent on whether the Conservative Party remained in power, CBC News reported last summer. When the Liberals were elected in October, the fate of the project remained uncertain.
The government of Nunavut has now confirmed that the federal commitment for the project is in place, according to the article.
The port is expected to cost close to C$85 million, with about C$64 million from the federal government and C$20 million from Nunavut. The port would include a harbor for small boats and another for larger vessels. It could reduce the amount of time it takes to offload dry cargo from 60 days to 20 days and cut fuel offloading from 15 days to five days, iPolitics reported in July.
Arctic States Closer to Agreement on Scientific Cooperation
An agreement to promote international scientific cooperation in the Arctic could be ready to sign by the spring 2017 ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council, reported Eos.
The agreement, which has been under negotiation for several years, aims to improve research access and opportunities, and to reduce overlap on projects. Although the details have yet to be released, the agreement could give scientists access to research infrastructure and facilities and improve data sharing among scientists from different nations, allowing them to work together more efficiently and effectively, according to the article.
The agreement would be among the eight Arctic member states of the Arctic Council, but there have been discussions about how benefits could be shared with non-Arctic states, such as those that have observer status on the Council.
Admiral Robert Papp, the U.S. special representative for the Arctic, announced on Monday that Fairbanks, Alaska, has been selected to host the Arctic Council’s 2017 ministerial meeting, where the Arctic Council will mark its 20th anniversary and the chairmanship will be passed from the U.S. to Finland.
Saami Leader Calls for New Leadership, Less Romanticizing of Arctic Development
As the Arctic Frontiers conference got under way in Tromso, Norway, on Monday, indigenous leaders spoke at the plenary session of their support for development as a way to ease economic struggles, but stressed that they must be full partners in the projects.
“I call for responsible leadership from political authorities and from the industrial [actors] in the North,” said Aili Keskitalo, president of the Saami Parliament of Norway. “The indigenous peoples are ready to join to find viable solutions for climate, energy and resources. It is imperative, however, that we are seen as part of the solution and not part of the problem.”
The construction of wind farms across Sapmi, the traditional lands of the Saami, in Sweden and Norway, have caused trouble for Saami reindeer herders whose animals use the pastures for grazing and calving, reported Eye on the Arctic.
Over 1,300 delegates from 29 countries are in Tromso for the 10th annual Arctic Frontiers meeting. This year’s meeting will focus on how Arctic states can strike a balance between industry and the environment.
“I wish for less [romanticizing] of the industrial possibilities and more open eyes to the harsh reality of what our skies, land and seas are telling us. The Saami people want to see development and take part in shaping our society, but we expect to have a key role in that future,” Keskitalo told the conference.
Recommended Reads
- Popular Science: Arctic Report: How to Feed Salmon to the World
- Eos, Project Update: Arctic Research on Thin Ice
- High North News: A Closer Look at the U.S. Coast Guard’s New Icebreaker Requirements
- Science: What’s Behind the Arctic’s Increasing Carbon Dioxide Fluctuations?
- The Maritime Executive: Oil Leak at Prirazlomnoye
Top image: A deep-sea port in Iqaluit, Nunavut, could open by 2020. (Flickr/Sebastian Kasten)