Newsletter The Arctic Prime Example
Should people really be living in Longyearbyen? (Photo: Arne O. Holm)
Dear reader, Editor and Commentator Arne O. Holm asks whether people should live on Svalbard. For Researcher Tiril V. Hansen, Svalbard seems to be posed as Norway's prime example for the world. We continue to report about the West's sanctions against Russia and have news about the Norwegian fisheries quota policy and infrastructure. Here is the week as seen from the North.
The population on Svalbard is simmering with resentment after the small island community was carpet-bombed with political regulations and hearings last year. Now, everyone is waiting in suspense for the new Svalbad white paper, which was supposed to be presented before Easter.
Meanwhile, great uncertainty surrounds the energy supply on Svalbard and the scheduled transition to renewable energy for the Arctic archipelago. In an interview with HNN's Science Journalist Birgitte A. M. Martinussen, Researcher Tiril Vold Hansen believes the process has been affected by a contest over symbolic capital and prestige.
In this week's commentary, Editor and Commentator Arne O. Holm also writes about the many changes the Svalbard community is facing:
"Should people really be living on Svalbard?" asks Holm.
Sanctions
HNN's investigative reporter Malte Humpert keeps a close eye on the effects of Western sanctions against Russia.
This week, he reports on the USA's latest round of sanctions against Singaporean shipping operator Red Box, a notorious violator of Western sanctions.
And following recent calls by Swedish and German officials to move toward restricting the inflow of Russian liquefied natural gas, the European Commission is now discussing a transshipment ban with member states.
Security and fisheries
And the much-discussed quota policy was adopted in the Norwegian parliament on Tuesday, but not without trouble. (Norwegian only)
Read about this and more at High North News.
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On behalf of the editorial staff, I wish you a great spring weekend,
Best, Editor-in-Chief Trine Jonassen