Newsletter Political unrest
Editor-in-chief Trine Jonassen and commentator Arne O. Holm made this years High North News Arctic Circle Team. (Photo: Arctic Circle)
Dear reader. Unrest is spreading across the High North. The Norwegian state budget was met with criticism, Trump is annihilating US research, and Putin is testing NATO. On the bright side, new establishments are taking place in the North, and the Arctic Council still functions in its impaired ways. Here is the latest news from the Arctic.
Northern Norway saw red when the Støre Cabinet presented its proposal for the state budget last week.
Seen from Northern Norway, this is no joyful read, says Trud Berg of the Arctic Philharmonic.
Commentator Arne O. Holm and I have returned from Iceland and the Arctic Circle conference.
One of the things that made an impression was seeing a deeply affected senator from Alaska speaking to 2,000 participants via videolink.
"An involuntary digital demonstration of the madness of American politics," writes Holm.
We also conducted the exit interview with high-profile Norwegian State Secretary Maria Varteressian (Labor), who says she will take a step back to return to her roots (Norwegian only).
And the European Union continues to inch toward a full ban on Russian gas.
Research news
At the Arctic Circle, we heard that the Arctic Council is still alive and very much kicking, according to Kenneth Høegh, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials.
The drama unfolding in the US research sector was also a topic at the conference.
What happens when political leaders plant disdain for research and science in their voters?
“That does not remain to be seen. We are already heading there, guided by a country that once was an international beacon of research”, writes Holm.
Security
And as has been the tradition the last few years, the Arctic Circle conference revolved around security.
“It’s all a competition at this stage, designed to figure out what our tolerance is”, says Canadian Defense Expert P. Whitney Lackenbauer about Russia testing NATO.
“We can't sit back and want this to be a risk-free, neutral zone, and whatever happens, happens”, says the Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir.
At the same time, German naval vessels practiced live-fire off the coast of Northern Norway.
Industrial news
The Northern Norwegian industry is having its ups and downs.
Aker Nscale plans to build a data center for artificial intelligence in the town of Korgen, Northern Norway.
And Elkem is reducing production at one of its North Norwegian factories due to challenging market conditions.
Read all this and more at High North News.
Feel free to share the newsletter with other interested parties.
Arctic greetings from Editor-in-Chief Trine Jonassen