Pan Arctic Forum

The Windsor Square released an article titled, “Canada-US Plan Closer Arctic Cooperation.” The article reads in part as follows;

“In March, US President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau announced a new partnership to embrace opportunities and confront challenges in the changing Arctic, with Indigenous and Northern partnerships, and responsible, science-based leadership. Over the past year, both countries have engaged a range of partners and stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples and Northern communities, state, provincial and territorial governments, nongovernmental organizations and businesses.

The Bristol Bay Times posted an article titled, “U.S., Canada say Arctic waters now off limits.” The article reads in part as follows;

“The majority of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas and the entirety of the Canadian Arctic are now off limits for future offshore oil and gas leasing.

‘Today, in partnership with our neighbors and allies in Canada, the United States is taking historic steps to build a strong Arctic economy, preserve a healthy Arctic ecosystem and protect our fragile Arctic waters, including designating the bulk of our Arctic water and certain areas in the Atlantic Ocean as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing’, President Obama said in a statement.

adn.com published an article titled, “Obama’s Arctic decision trashes years of work.” The article reads in part as follows;

“President Obama’s Dec. 20 executive order locking up offshore development in the Arctic was Alaska’s “Nightmare before Christmas.” Much of the policy and planning the U.S. and Alaska have been working toward in the Arctic was unwoven with this action.

Eos magazine posted an article online titled, “White House Issues Ambitious Arctic Research Plan.” The article reads in part as follows;

“A new Arctic research plan issued by the Obama administration 1 month before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office provides an updated road map for U.S. federal interagency research on the rapidly changing region for 2017–2021. However, the direction Trump will take regarding Arctic research remains to be seen.

The Arctic Journal issued a press release titled, “Big Arctic announcement from US and Canada – WWF reaction.” The press release reads in part as follows;

“In March 2016 US President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau announced ‘…a new partnership to embrace the opportunities and to confront the challenges in the changing Arctic, with Indigenous and Northern partnerships, and responsible, science-based leadership’. Today, announcements by both governments have delivered on promises made in their joint statement, by taking important actions on conservation, sustainable development, and regulation of industrial activities in the Arctic.

The Arctic Journal published an article titled, “‘Harder to argue’ for Danish Arctic Council participation.” The article reads in part as follows;

“Mounting dissatisfaction with the way Denmark represents Greenland’s interests abroad has now led Vittus Qujaukitsoq, the foreign minister, to lash out at Copenhagen.

Mr Qujaukitsoq (pictured above, at right) believes that Danish foreign policy does not adequately take Nuuk’s considerations into account, but he expects that will all change once Greenland draws up its own constitution.

PortNews posted an article titled, “Northern consolidation.” The article reads in part as follows;

“Russian Government is set to centralize the development of the Arctic through overcoming the lack of cooperation between different agencies. For that purpose the Northern Sea Route Administration is to be converted from a purely technical authority into an ‘arctic ministry’. Principal decisions on state regulation of Arctic activities are expected to be made by RF President in March 2017.

Arctic Deeply released an article titled, “A Clear Voice on Indigenous Rights and Climate Change.” The article reads in part as follows;

“Jannie Staffansson’s plea, delivered at a press conference to activists and reporters near the conclusion of the climate change summit in Paris in December 2015, won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Days earlier, Staffansson, 26, had read the opening statement for the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) atCOP21. Now, as the climate negotiations entered their final days, she was deeply disappointed that language ensuring the respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights had been struck from the final draft of the Paris climate agreement.

Arctic Deeply published an article titled, “What Donald Trump’s Presidency Might Mean for the Arctic.” The article reads in part as follows;

“The world is still digesting the election of Donald Trump as the U.S.president. It will be some time before the impact of his election will be fully understood. But what is already known is that he has achieved the Republican nomination as well as the presidency by trusting his own counsel and challenging orthodox wisdom. He will no doubt continue to disregard conventional wisdom and the advice of those outside of his immediate circle and do things ‘his way’ to ‘make America great again’. So, what then can we expect in regards to his policies concerning the Arctic?

Ground report posted an article titled, “How the Arctic was divided up between the USA and Canada.” The article reads in part as follows;

“There is the hypothesis that in the near future the Arctic may become the next region of contention and the central intersection of shared interests of the influential global Powers, occupying the same niche as the Middle East now. And this hypothesis is not a groundless one. According to estimates of the US Geological Survey (formerly simply USGS), up to 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and about 30% of the world’s undiscovered gas, as well as, nickel, uranium, lead, platinum, gold and diamonds, may be found in the Arctic. There is plenty here worth fighting for! However, it is premature to talk of any open confrontation when the countries continue to divide the Arctic pie, seating at the negotiating table, and until the time the USA tries to be in the driving seat, using its chairmanship of the Arctic Council.