Policy

A bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Sullivan, Murkowski and Representative Hickenlooper would give the National Science Foundation permanent authority for its Office of Polar Programs, ensuring continuous Arctic research funding that underpins scientific understanding for local communities and national security.

The donation of $9.3 million will support research that informs Arctic adaptation policies and socioeconomic strategies.

Fairbanks residents report sky‑high electric and heat bills from the Golden Valley Electric Association. A proposed North Slope gas pipeline, pending in state legislature, could bring lower energy prices to the interior.

GNWT is injecting nearly $48 million into schools amid falling attendance and graduation rates, while new cell‑phone policies in Tłı̨chǫ and Ndılǫ communities show early gains in engagement. The minister emphasizes continued investment to close Indigenous–non‑Indigenous gaps as defense projects create future jobs.

A federal judge cleared a 1.4‑million‑acre transfer of Dalton corridor lands from federal to state control, supporting Alaska’s Ambler Road road project and an LNG pipeline plan, after conservation groups sought to block the move.

Yellowknife is revising its land acknowledgment to formally recognize the Tlicho Nation and rolling out a two‑year ‘Walking Forward Together’ reconciliation plan. The initiative adds a partnership table with Indigenous and territorial governments and an annual scorecard to track progress, marking a concrete step toward broader municipal accountability in northern Canada.

The NWT government scrapped a proposed Indigenous procurement policy that would have provided special protections to northern businesses, replacing it with only a reporting definition; the Dene Nation calls this a setback for economic reconciliation and demands a renewed policy offering tangible advantages.

Cambridge Bay tenants suffer headaches and illness from mould‑laden public housing, yet the Nunavut Housing Corporation can’t remove the mould or relocate them.

EU sanctions now list the Aleksei Kosygin LNG carrier and more than 40 shadow‑fleet vessels that navigate Arctic routes, tightening pressure on Russia’s shipping ties to its war.

The European Union’s temporary sanctions reprieve lets TotalEnergies keep shipping liquefied natural gas from its Yamal field in Siberia to Asian buyers, preserving a key Arctic‑origin fuel corridor.

Norwegian researchers unveiled an ultra‑light towing rig that can be carried by helicopter, tested in a realistic exercise off Lofoten where a real Mayday triggered use of trained crews, aiming to enhance emergency response before 2028 regulations require onboard systems for large ships.

The governor’s third consecutive special session on Alaska LNG began with only four legislators in attendance and no new legislation, as officials await a bill from Gov. Mike Dunleavy that could grant multibillion‑dollar property tax cuts to the proposed pipeline.

NSERC awarded a Discovery Grant to Stephan Gruber for his work on predicting permafrost thaw, a key but unpredictable element of Arctic climate change.

Canadian Armed Forces are preparing generational investments to safeguard Arctic defence infrastructure from climate‑driven risks, as part of broader efforts to strengthen NORAD’s resilience and support spaceport development.

The European Commission confirms its dedication to the 2021 Joint Communication on EU Arctic Policy, reaffirming a focus on climate change and environmental protection in the Arctic.

Russia is using the Svalbard Treaty to advance its interests in the Arctic, even as it flouts international law elsewhere. The piece calls on Norway and Finland to uphold the treaty’s demilitarized status to preserve European security.

Japan plans to use the Arctic Sea to shorten its shipping routes to Europe and the Middle East, a move that could lower transit times but would also involve navigating Russian control of key passages.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has abandoned its plan to launch an Indigenous procurement policy after prolonged consultations revealed a lack of consensus among stakeholders; instead it will use a new business definition for reporting while gathering data to guide future measures.