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Thomas Nilsen

Thomas worked for the Norwegian Barents Secretariat between 2003 and 2015. Between 2009 and 2015 he was the editor of BarentsObserver. Before that he worked 12 years for the Bellona Foundation’s Russian study group, focusing on nuclear safety issues and general environmental challenges in northern areas and the Arctic.

Thomas has been travelling extensively in the Barents Region and northern Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and organizations. He is also a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security issues and socio-economic development in the Barents Region. Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. 

Content by Thomas Nilsen

Is the sunset coming for Arctic oil? There will be no drilling by Statoil in the Barents Sea in 2015.

Russia’s largest company and the largest extractor of natural gas in the world is facing hard times as supplies to Ukraine are suspended and oil prices are collapsing.

2015 will be a tuff year for air companies flying in Barents Russia, including Transaero, UTair and Nordavia.

Nickel price has fallen more than 40 percent since May, but mega-polluter Norilsk-Nickel expects 2015 revenues to be $10 billion.

Foreigners traveling to Russia must from today provide a specified pre-fixed route of places to visit.

Finnish police car

Burglars on the run get harder times in the Swedish – Finnish borderland as police forces will be allowed to cross the state border.

Samantha Smith

TROMSØ: Norway’s decision to offer more Barents Sea drillings would be incommensurate with efforts to limit global warming to 2ºC, says Samantha Smith of the WWF.

Erna Solberg Alexander stubb and Kristian Persson

TROMSØ: Erna Solberg, Alexander Stubb and Kristina Persson outlined strategies for growth and cooperation in the north. No attention was given to the man sitting directly in front of the on the first row; Putin’s former special envoy for the Arctic Artur Chilingarov.

Børge Brende

TROMSØ: Dialog on consequences of a warming Arctic is affected by a colder political climate between Russia and the West. Foreign Minister Børge Brende says Norway wants Russia to remain a part of the Arctic cooperation, but admits there is a very special situation.

Arctic Frontiers 2015 - Armchair discussion

TROMSØ: To drill or not to drill, that’s the Arctic Frontiers question of the year. Investor Jens-Ulltveit-Moe warns Troms and Finnmark against state investments in White Elephants.