Great Power Competition Extends to Arctic. For years the Arctic's harsh environment has prevented countries from mining its rich natural resources and accessing prime shipping routes. But as the climate warms and thick barriers of ice continue to melt, the region is now becoming a hot spot for economic activity. "The region has become an arena for power and for competition, and the eight Arctic states must adapt to this new future," Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said during remarks at the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in May. "We're entering a new age of strategic engagement in the Arctic, complete with new threats to the Arctic and its real estate, and to all of our interests in that region." The council is an intergovernmental forum and its members include the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. National Defense

 

Polarstern Departs Germany to Ready for Year-Long Arctic Drift. The German polar research vessel Polarstern left her homeport in Bremerhaven on August 10 on a first preparatory leg of the one-year Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAic) Expedition. Polarstern will be prepared for the expedition in the Norwegian port of Tromsø and is expected to depart for the Central Arctic on September 20. The 118-meter (387-foot) vessel will spend the next year drifting through the Arctic Ocean, trapped in the ice. 600 people from 17 countries will be supplied by other icebreakers and aircraft, to participate in the expedition - and several times that number of researchers will subsequently use the data gathered. Maritime Executive

 

Life on Thin Ice: Mental Health at the Heart of the Climate Crisis. ...More than half of all Greenland residents interviewed report dramatic glacier retreat near their settlements. Perhaps one of the most tragic aspects of the study is the anxiety over the future of a way of life that has endured for a millennium; 67% of residents think that the crisis will harm sled dogs. Despite the advent of supermarkets in larger towns, most Greenlanders still eat wild foods they hunt, fish or gather, and 57% think hunting practices will be harmed. About half, 49% , think fishing will be negatively affected. Eight in 10 Greenland residents believe that in recent years the local sea ice, a key economic and social lifeline in winter, has become too dangerous to travel on. The Guardian

 

Chinese Research Ship Departs for 10th Arctic Expedition. Chinese scientists set off for the 10th Arctic expedition on Saturday as the oceanographic research ship Xiangyanghong 01 departed from the coastal city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province. A total of 78 scientists from 13 research institutions will participate in the 50-day expedition. Their investigation will focus on comprehensive marine survey combining long-term in-situ observation with scientific research projects, according to Wei Zexun, leader and chief scientist of the research team. Ecns

 

Russian Nuclear Power Plant Afloat in Arctic Causes Anxiety Across Bering Strait. Russia has produced the world's first floating nuclear power plant. A barge mounted with nuclear reactors is expected to begin traversing the Arctic Ocean this month, bound for the Chukotka Peninsula. Across the Bering Strait, Alaskans are worried about radiation, though one Arctic security expert also sees room for optimism. Russia hasn't been keeping this project a secret. Reporters have documented the fanfare, at the vessel's launch in St. Petersburg and its stop in Murmansk where it picked up nuclear fuel, along with a new paint job. It's now white, red and blue - the colors of the Russia flag. KTOO