High North News - News, analysis and debate about politics and business in the North

Regjeringen vil kutte midler som har stor betydning for kultursamspill i nord, framholder sentrale nordnorske kulturinstitusjoner. Bilde fra årets utgave av den internasjonale urfolksfestivalen Riddu Riđđu i Kåfjord, Nord-Troms. (Foto: Sara Aarøen Lien)

Norway's Government Cuts Culture as Part of the High North Strategy

In the national budget for 2025, the Norwegian government proposes a cut of NOK 4 million in funds for cultural cooperation in the High North. "Defense policy is not the only thing that must be pursued in the North," replies major cultural institutions in Northern Norway.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

An Admiral’s Brutal War Story – And What Is the Definition of a Victory in Ukraine?

Comment (Reykjavik): Without a manuscript, without hesitation, nearly without even drawing a breath, he let a packed hall know what the war in Ukraine is about. I am talking about Admiral Rob Bauer. He dragged the soon 1,000 daily news broadcasts on weapon systems through a mud of blood, suffering, and death.

Tormod Heier, professor i militær strategi og operasjoner ved Forsvarets høgskole, understreker betydningen av å gjøre lokalsamfunn i nord mer motstandsdyktige i møte med ulike former for hybride angrep. (Foto: Astri Edvardsen)

Northern Norway Is Likely Facing a More Serious Hydrid Threat Situation, Says Professor

Tromsø (High North News): "I believe that the situation in the North will gradually worsen before the hybrid threat level stabilizes," says Professor Tormod Heier at the Norwegian Defense Command and Staff College. He calls for bolder moves to strengthen civil-military cooperation in the face of the hybrid threats.

Notices

POLITICS / 28.10.2024

Arctic Council Preparedness Conference to Bodø

One of the first international conferences dedicated to a holistic view of…

Science / 25.10.2024

Polar Bears Face Higher Risk of Disease in A Warming Arctic

As the Arctic warms, polar bears face a growing risk of contracting…

Arctic Living / 15.10.2024

The Winners of Pan-ArcticVision 2024

On Saturday, Pan-ArcticVision 2024 – a northern twist on the…

POLITICS / 15.10.2024

Seeks to Enhance Food Security in Northern Canada

The Government of Canada wants to improve food security in the North and…

Arctic Communities Have Solutions to Share

Op-ed: Recently, I stood before an international audience at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik. In just 90 seconds, I had the chance to share a message I deeply believe in: Arctic communities aren't just facing challenges – they also have solutions to share.

Lisa Murkowski. Arctic Circle 2024

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (R): Trump's View on Climate is Very Different From the Biden/Harris Administration

Reykjavik (High North News): "It shouldn't matter whether a president likes Alaska or not, but that the president recognizes the importance of this region, not only to the United States, but also what it means to our global leadership." Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said at the 2024 Arctic Circle assembly.

EU Efforts to Reduce Russian LNG Ring Hollow as Imports Reach New High

The EU and its member states remain unable to control the inflow of Russian liquefied natural gas. Despite voluntary measures and repeated discussions in Brussels, imports have now reached new record highs.

High North News follows: The Russian Shadow Fleet

Wison Modules En Route to Arctic LNG Project In Defiance of Sanctions

A Chinese-manufactured power plant for a sanctioned Russian LNG project continues to…

Also see

Record-size Container Ship Sets Course for Arctic via Norwegian Coastline

Safety Takes a Backseat as Russia’s LNG ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operates in Arctic Without Permits

Russian LNG ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operates in Norwegian Barents Sea

“If We Stop the Oil, We Stop the War”

Russian LNG Carrier Goes Dark in Norway’s Arctic Waters to Circumvent Sanctions

Ocean 28 departure

Inside the Elaborate Scheme to Transport a Chinese Power Plant to Russia’s Arctic Undetected

In a desperate attempt to salvage Russia’s largest liquefied natural gas project a…

LNG carrier

‘Shadow Fleet’ LNG Carrier Travels Up Norwegian Coast After Failed Attempt to Deliver Sanctioned Cargo

Six weeks after a sanctioned load of liquefied natural gas traveled down the…

Novatek Denies Involvement With Arctic ‘Shadow Fleet’, Official Records Suggest Otherwise

Russia's largest natural gas producers Novatek, issued a forceful statement that it…

Arctic Whales and Their Encounters With Vessels to Be Researched in New Collaboration

Research to protect and conserve Arctic whale populations is to begin under a new five-year collaboration between Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Hurtigruten Expeditions.

Wants International Ecocide Law to Deter and Stop Environmental Crimes in the Arctic

Reykjavik, Iceland (High North News): Politicians, legal practitioners, and researchers are currently working to establish an international ecocide law to prevent environmental crimes in the Arctic and globally. "We see ourselves as separate from nature," says Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO of Stop Ecocide International.

Wison New Energies’ Zhoushan yard

China’s Wison New Energies At Risk of Sanctions U.S. Official Says as the Delivery of Arctic LNG Power Plant Imminent

China's Wison New Energies exposes itself to significant sanctions risk if it delivers the power plant to Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, a U.S. state department official stated to HNN. Two of the three vessels carrying the massive modules have now arrived at Russia’s doorstep.

I sin høyelliptiske bane beveger de arktiske bredbåndsatellittene seg langsomt i stor høyde over Nordpolen og tar en ganske rask, knapp sving forbi Sydpolen. Ved at de overlapper hverandre, vil de som fullt operative gi vedvarende bredbåndstilgang nord for 65. breddegrad. Dette vil gi en helt annen hverdag for blant annet fly, fiskefartøy, forskningsfartøy, cruiseskip, kystvakt, marinefartøy og andre som opererer i Arktis. (Animasjon: Space Norway)

Arctic Broadband Satellites Passed Tests in Space and Have Been Handed Over to Space Norway

“Norway now controls a space capability of great significance for all types of operations in the Arctic, including for the Norwegian Armed Forces and NATO allies,” says the state-owned company Space Norway.

Lower Results for LKAB in the Third Quarter

The Swedish mining company LKAB reports production challenges in this year's third quarter. High inventory levels for pellets following the Iron Ore Line derailments meant that the weak production did not limit the capacity to deliver, however.

Norge og Tyskland vil utvide Natos innsats for å beskytte kritisk undersjøisk infrastruktur. Her patruljeres oljefeltet Goliat i Barentshavet av den norske fregatten KNM Fridtjof Nansen. Nordvest for dette ligger gassfeltet Snøhvit, som har en 143 kilometer lang rørledning til LNG-anlegget på Melkøya utenfor Hammerfest. Derfra eksporteres gass til Europa. (Foto: Ørjan Andreassen/Forsvaret)

Norway Proposes a NATO Hub for Securing Critical Undersea Infrastructure in the High North

On Thursday, Norway and Germany launched a joint initiative to strengthen NATO’s role in protecting critical undersea infrastructure. Norway offers to establish a hub for monitoring in the High North, while Germany wants to take responsibility for the Baltic Sea.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

The War Creates “Optimism” in the Arctic

Comment, Reykjavik: "Innovation is the fuel of tomorrow. Not oil and gas." Adnan Z. Amin looks out over an audience of business people in Reykjavik, Iceland. The topic is investments in the Arctic. Over the next few hours, several speakers will emphasize that the war in Europe provides new opportunities.

"The Entire Northern Hemisphere Can Be Controlled From the Space Above the Arctic"

Reykjavik, Iceland (High North News): Technology and science must adapt to the geopolitical shifts in the far north, and space is becoming an increasingly significant arena. "The entire Northern Hemisphere can be controlled from the space above the Arctic," says Tim Reilly from the University of Cambridge, emphasizing that the race between the US and China revolves around technology ownership.

Samlet i Brussel (f.v.): Canadas forsvarsminister Bill Blair; Danmarks forsvarsminister Troels Lund Poulsen; Færøyenes landsstyreformann for utenriksanliggender Høgni Hoydal; ekspedisjonssjef i Grønlands departement for selvstendighet og utenriksanliggender, Mininnguaq Kleist; Finlands forsvarsminister Antti Häkkänen; Jónas Allansson, leder for Islands forsvarsdirektorat/forsvarssjef; Norges forsvarsminister Bjørn Arild Gram; Sveriges forsvarsminister Pål Jonsson – og David F. Helvey, viserådgiver for forsv

Arctic Defense Ministers to Enhance Cooperation on Security and Defense in the Region

The defense ministers and other representatives of the Arctic NATO countries, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, recently met at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. They discussed topical regional security issues and reaffirmed their shared commitment to increased cooperation in the Arctic.

USS truman

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Truman Arrives in Norwegian Waters for Joint Nordic Exercise

For the second time in as many years a U.S. aircraft carrier has entered Norwegian waters for a joint exercise. After USS Gerald R. Ford’s very public sailing into Oslo last summer, less information has been revealed about the latest visit of the USS Harry S. Truman.

Rob Bauer, Arctic Circle Assembly 2024

"China's Intentions in The Arctic Are Unclear - And That is a Growing Concern"

Reykjavik (High North News): “When I first attended the Arctic Circle Assembly conference, the tone and content were different than now. The focus on security in the Arctic has become much stronger", says Admiral Rob Bauer, head of NATO's military committee. Now he warns about China's unclear, two-faced and increasing activity in the Arctic and the worrying Sino-Russian ties.

Maria Varteressian, Arctic Circle 2024.

“If We Lose the Arctic Council, It Is Lost Forever”

Reykjavik (High North News): As Norway's chairship of the Arctic Council embarks on its final six months, it is time to look back on the road that was forged as they walked, when they were handed a broken council from a Russia at war.

Bjarni Benediktsson, Arctic Circle 2024

“The Most Important Crossroad of Our Generation”

Reykjavik (High North News): “Whether we like it or not, the Arctic is fast becoming a theater of global competition and militarization, and it is up to us to determine the parameters for developing this region”, said prime minister of Iceland, Bjarni Benediktsson on opening the Arctic Circle Assembly just four days after he resigned from the government.

“Scientists Are Natural Diplomats”

Reykjavik (High North News): At this year's Arctic Circle Assembly, science diplomacy is one of the buzzwords that resonates throughout sessions, debates, and lectures. "Scientists are natural diplomats, as they care deeply about science and not so much about politics," says Jane Francis, Director of the British Antarctic Survey.