Why do Russian researchers call for a federal law on permafrost, and what are the environmental and economic consequences of permafrost thawing?

Based on the current situation, Rosatom has described new positive and negative scenarios for the Route. Both are more moderate compared to the targets set by the Government.

In December 2023, Sweden and the US signed a bilateral military agreement, a so-called Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which means that the US gets access to 17 Swedish bases. The agreement regulates issues such as the legal status of the US forces, access to Swedish military bases and the storage of combat vehicles, ammunition and weapon systems in Sweden. The agreement was approved by the Riksdag on 18 June and entered into force on 15 August 2024.

Although sanctions pressure continues to increase against liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in Russia, export volumes have managed to break records. According to Kpler, LNG exports reached a record-breaking figure of 2.94 million tonnes, marking a 33% increase compared to August 2023.

The 2018 Finnish research highlights Finland's vast organic collection area for natural products, specifically wild berries and mushrooms, covering an impressive 11.6 million hectares, which makes Finland a global leader in this regard.

Imitating hares, reindeer and wolverines—how researchers adapt nature's design for human technologies in the Arctic?

In 2023, Russia introduced a new mechanism for the Arctic—support, or backbone settlements. What is the meaning behind this strategy?

Despite the fact that Soviet development in the North is still remembered with awe and admiration, the USSR wasn’t particularly meticulous when it came to protecting the fragile northern environment. A part of Russia’s heritage in the Arctic includes waste, metal scrap yards, sunken vessels, and spilled oil. How does the country address these issues?

For the first time since 2021, Russian coal is being shipped through the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The reason for this shift is the ongoing threat of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. However, there are reasonable doubts regarding the permanence of coal shipping through the NSR.

Improving meteorology remains one of Russia's top priorities in the Arctic. Recent initiatives and proposals suggest the establishment of new meteorological systems and stations on the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

Following the Arctic-Regions forum in Arkhangelsk, officials confirm a need to construct new nuclear icebreakers for the Russian fleet.

The Sámi are an indigenous people and have been recognized as such by the Swedish Parliament since 1977, and have also been recognized as a people in the Swedish Constitution since 2011.

Over the past days, Arkhangelsk has become a centre of attention, as the city hosted the Arctic-Regions forum and the trade port accepted the first Chinese cargo as part of the Arctic Express No. 1 project.

A meeting between the President and the Head of the Murmansk Region has yielded positive outcomes. The results of the talk will solidify the course of development and Murmansk’s vision of the North.

The Sámi Parliament of Finland has been functioning in the Sámi cultural center Sajos in the village of Inari since 2012.

The Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport is planning to construct multimodal hubs on Northern Russian rivers. Along with Rosatom, the agency aims to open logistics hubs on the Ob, Irtysh, Lena, and Yenisei rivers. What is the purpose of expanding the river transport network in the North?

Karelian scientists are looking into growing medicinal herbs in the north on what seems to be an industrial scale.

As the natural habitats of polar bears and brown bears expand and intertwine, the chances for new hybrids increase. In Russia, experts suggest that pizzlies might appear in the north of Yakutia.

It was thought for a long time that the Arctic is one of the key carbon sinks of the world. However, with climate change, the region may become a major carbon source instead, increasing the greenhouse effect.

The area around the Arctic Circle in Norwegian Lapland is cleared of tourist cairns. Despite efforts to remove these cairns annually, they continue to reappear. The Norwegian researcher's hesitation to label tourists from EU countries as vandals or barbarians highlights the complex nature of this issue.

In a fast-paced world where climate change and other challenges seem to be making things worse and worse, it is often unexpected to hear that nature is not diminishing but increasing its presence. This is the case with wolves in Yakutia, whose population is steadily growing, sparking a debate about legal boundaries and ethical hunting practices.

Building housing in the Arctic is challenging. Aside from the extreme cold and permanent frost, architects must consider numerous factors to ensure that buildings can endure for decades and provide enough comfort for residents

It is widely believed that ice thawing makes navigation easier and less demanding from a technological standpoint, but new research on the Canadian Northwest Passage suggests otherwise.

New problems concerning international politics have arised for indigenous peoples and put everyday life of populations at risk.

One of the recent hot news topics was the UN ban imposed on the use and transportation of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in the Arctic. Public attention was mostly focused on the fact that Russia didn't join this restriction and will therefore continue using HFO for shipping. However, another problem slipped almost unnoticed. The imposed law has too many loopholes even for those countries that joined the restriction, rendering it less effective in addressing the HFO situation.

On May 28, 2024, the Parliament of Greenland adopted a law on equal treatment and combating discrimination. Greenland's indigenous people, the Inuit, can now enjoy much stronger legal protections against discrimination and will be able to take legal action against violations of their rights. Until now, the population of Greenland has not been protected by a general ban on discrimination, which is a violation of Article 14 of The European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols, adopted in Rome in 1950.

A new ship Ji Di was presented in Guangzhou on June 24th. It’s the fourth icebreaking vessel for China. First two ships were the ‘Snow Dragons’: Xue Long 1 bought from Ukraine in 1994 and Xue Long 2 constructed entirely in China in 2018.

Murmansk officials continue the strategy In the North - to Live! - a short slogan that even became a basis for merchandise. The primary purpose of this strategy which was implemented in 2019 is to stop the population outflow and to stimulate people to live and work in the North.

A quite common opinion is that the Arctic region should be limited only to the eight Arctic States. However, this tendency changes with an ongoing Russian effort as the country leads easternization in the region.

Canadian shipbuilding company Seaspan Shipyards, based in Vancouver, will begin construction of a new heavy icebreaker by the end of 2024. The company published a 3D model of the Polar Icebreaker under construction.