Almost 5000 asylum seekers have crossed the Norwegian-Russian border since the European migrant crisis arose. The Norwegian government decides to toughen the asylum regulations.
With the Arctic becoming an object of steadily growing attention, Murmansk Oblast establishes the “Arctic University” to prepare Barents students for jobs in Arctic oil and gas projects.
A century and a half ago, Norway was home to roughly three thousand brown bears, the majority of bears in all of Scandinavia. By 1930, the bears were virtually extinct. Decades of aggressive management tactics and bounties had wiped out one of the area’s most iconic species.
REYKJAVIK: The climatic changes taking place in the Arctic are a call to action for the world. We must answer with more international cooperation and more research, says Tore Hattrem, State Secretary of Norway’s Foreign Ministry.
“Partnership should and shall shape the development of the Arctic, therefore cooperation is the starting point for our Arctic policy,” Vladimir Barbin, Senior Arctic Official and representative to the Arctic Council, said at the Arctic Circle 2015 assembly.
As Syrian refugees in the hundreds cross over from Russia, capacities in Kirkenes reach the limits. Now an abandoned military compound is turned into refugee reception center.
REYKJAVIK: Transit cargo between Europe and Asia plummets, but cargo to and from Russian ports along the Northern Sea Route is increasing considerably, Deputy Minister of Transport Olersky says..
REYKJAVIK: The Arctic Council should learn from the Barents Euro-Arctic cooperation and focus on the regional level when it comes to cooperation in the Arctic, says Rune Rafaelsen, Senior Adviser in the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.
REYKJAVIK: Iceland and Germany are cooperating on building an ice-free, deep-water harbour that can be a hub for Arctic shipping and petroleum activity.
The U.S. Interior Department cancels two future offshore leases in Chukchi and Beaufort seas and will refuse requests from oil companies to renew existing leases.
Regional identity is on the priority list of the new Russian Barents Council chairmanship along with cross-border transportation, climate, culture and tourism.
REYKJAVIK: The capital of Iceland stands in the Arctic limelight for the next couple of days, as people from around 50 different countries gather to discuss resources, climate change, security politics and much more at the Arctic Circle assembly.