Environment

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has begun construction of a new icebreaking research vessel—ordered by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries—which will be more than twice the size and 50% stronger at breaking ice than the existing Araon. Planned for service in 2030, the ship will support Arctic sea‑ice, fishery, and seabed studies, enable safer shipping routes, and feature dual‑fuel propulsion to cut NOx emissions.

Anchorage Daily News opinion piece warns that Donlin Gold’s expanded mining plans could increase tailings waste and heighten risk of environmental harm to the Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta, citing a 2024 court ruling and widespread tribal opposition.

Canada plans to decommission the Isachsen High Arctic Weather Station, starting cleanup in summer 2027, with a four‑year contract awarded to an Inuit company via the Inuit Firm Registry.

NASA’s Snow 4 Flow study examines snow accumulation and ice‑flow rates of Arctic glaciers to model their appearance by 2100, improving long‑term sea‑level and climate projections.

Fin whale found dead on bow of Norwegian Joy cruise ship in Sitka on Thursday. NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region is investigating whether the death was from a vessel strike, a growing concern as fin whales feed in Alaska’s summer waters and face high collision risk.

The polar vortex over the Arctic reaches roughly 31 miles high and traps cold air; recent models suggest it could weaken midway through winter, possibly altering Arctic air confinement.

Investigation by Arctida and Sistema reveals that Western oilfield service firms, via local Russian subsidiaries, continue to supply equipment and services to Rosneft’s Vostok Oil project in the Arctic, with payments exceeding 13 bn rubles from Baker Hughes’ OFS and 8 bn rubles from Halliburton’s Burservice between 2023‑2026. The 4 trillion‑ruble project, administered by Vostok Oil, also involves Marat Kabaev’s 25% stake in Taimyr Invest, and faces scrutiny over its environmental impacts on tundra permafrost.

A bear and its three cubs have been roaming Yellowknife for most of the week, prompting wildlife officers to intervene.

The Tibbitt‑Contwoyto winter road will not operate in 2027, the first winter without it for the Bathurst caribou herd in decades. Scientists and Indigenous hunters hope the reduced traffic will ease disturbances and hunting pressure, offering a chance to study the impact of infrastructure removal on caribou and inform future Arctic development projects.

The Arctic Report Card will still be released this year, even after U.S. federal funding was cut, ensuring continued peer‑reviewed climate monitoring of the circumpolar region.

An autonomous Slocum glider, deployed from research vessel SV Barba, will survey the waters between Greenland and Iceland for several weeks, using hydrophones to record whale calls and transmit data via satellite. The mission seeks to confirm whether North Atlantic right whales are returning to their historic feeding grounds in the Irminger Sea and Cape Farewell area, data that could shape future shipping, fisheries, and marine protected area decisions.

A new ICESat‑2 calibration/validation dataset releases Arctic summer sea‑ice heights and bathymetry, intended to assess the positional accuracy of the satellite’s green‑wavelength lidar.

Begich spoke on Arctic security, development and subsistence while the Stebbins community reports rebuilding progress and plans for a new school.

Nadezhda Filimonova aims to use her research to address waste management challenges in Arctic municipalities, seeking solutions that benefit residents.

Pedro Sanches is leading a project to present Arctic ice, forest, and permafrost data in clearer formats, helping scientists, policymakers, and the public track environmental changes more effectively. By simplifying complex datasets, the initiative seeks to support evidence‑based decision‑making in the region.

Fort Smith farmers, beekeepers, and alpaca ranchers are adapting to rapid climate change—new pests, altered flooding, warmer soils—by cultivating climate‑adapted crops, building seed banks, and seeking local feed to sustain livestock. The changes may open grain production but also threaten existing food systems.

Hay River’s council adopted a zoning bylaw that replaces older 100‑year flood maps with new 200‑year ice‑jam flood maps from 2025, setting higher building elevation requirements. The change follows rising flood levels—up to 3.8 m in some areas—and aims to protect residents, businesses, and infrastructure amid increasing Arctic flood risks.

Researchers from the Swedish Arctic Fox Project established a field camp close to active Arctic fox dens, advancing on-the-ground studies of the species in its northern habitat.