Policy

Ex‑Typhoon Halong struck Alaska’s Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta on Oct. 11, unleashing a 12‑foot storm surge that lifted homes and displaced roughly 1,600 residents of Kwigillingok and Kipnuk, sparking a widespread mental‑health crisis among young Yup’ik people.

Janet Weiss argues that Alaska LNG’s tax reform bill must provide a stable, competitive framework or the project risks losing investment, revenue and jobs, forcing Alaskans to depend on costly imported LNG.

In a two‑week effort, the Tthets’éhk’édélı̨ First Nation in Jean Marie River partnered with BC firm Windfirm Resources to plant 1.5 million trees on recently burned land, creating jobs for locals and adding permanent forest under Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program.

Norway has launched its largest scientific initiative, the Arctic Ocean 2050 program, with funding secured from the Research Council to study oceanic changes by 2050.

Inuit peoples traditionally navigated Arctic lands by season, depending on natural resources for survival. The mid-1900s saw shifts that culminated in the formation of Nunavut, redefining Inuit governance and territorial boundaries.

Mining companies paid more than $462 million in royalties and fees to Inuit organizations in Nunavut from 2021‑25, with Agnico Eagle contributing roughly $400 million—over 80% of total—underscoring mining’s major economic role for the territory.

Ranking Member Mark E. Huffman condemned President Trump’s move to open all U.S. marine monuments—including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—to commercial fishing and sell the refuge for a nominal fee, labeling the action illegal and damaging to conservation.

Koivurova and Caddell argue that the BBNJ Agreement provides a global platform for protecting Arctic Ocean biodiversity within existing legal frameworks, underscoring the importance of international law in shaping environmental outcomes.

Alaska’s federal permit authorizes a 19‑mile unpaved road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, connecting King Cove to Cold Bay airport. The state plans construction within a month, but conservation and tribal groups have sued to halt the project over endangered species and wilderness protections.

A leaked AGDC‑Glenfarne draft agreement reveals that if the Alaska LNG pipeline fails, the state could owe a multi‑billion‑dollar clawback fee, while Governor Dunleavy seeks large property‑tax cuts to keep the project viable amid uncertain cost estimates.

The Deep Sea Arctic Expedition began on May 8, 2026, assembling leading scientists to study the region while global deep‑sea mining talks—including those affecting Arctic waters—kick off, setting a framework for future policy decisions.

A NATO fact‑finding mission of 30 MPs and delegates from 15 allied nations will spend July 13‑17 in Iqaluit briefing with Nunavut officials, Inuit leaders and Canadian armed‑forces personnel, showcasing Canada’s expanded Arctic security infrastructure and Indigenous partnership commitments.

Rick Whitbeck argues that Peltola’s proposal to ban factory trawling lacks evidence and ignores Alaska’s pollock fleet’s economic benefits, warning that removing this industry could leave Western Alaskan communities without jobs or research funding.

A NATO fact‑finding delegation of 30 MPs from 15 allied nations visited Iqaluit from July 13–17, receiving briefings from the Government of Nunavut, Inuit organizations, and Canadian military forces. The tour underscored Canada’s expanded Arctic security investments and its partnership with Indigenous communities as part of broader NATO discussions.

The European Union imported a record 9.89 million metric tons of LNG from Russia’s Yamal plant during the first half of 2026—an 18 % jump over the same period in 2025—despite plans to phase out Russian gas by year‑end, while Asian shipments fell sharply.

Yellowknife is evaluating the logistics and benefits of hosting the 2035 Canada Winter Games, with city council reviewing staff recommendations that highlight both significant financial commitments and opportunities for long‑term economic growth and infrastructure improvements in the Northwest Territories.

Canada’s new TKMS submarine deal will triple its fleet, strengthen NATO interoperability, and expand its presence in Arctic waters.

Bruce M. Botelho argues that federal cuts to scientific agencies—including the shutdown of Anchorage Forestry Sciences Lab and suspension of NOAA weather balloon launches—threaten Alaska’s ability to monitor climate, manage fisheries, and forecast storms.

Yellowknife residents are displaced by Fort Simpson fires while the Northwest Territories endure floods and heat warnings amid Prime Minister Mark Carney's new submarine, pipeline, port and road investments.

The Communications Security Establishment has installed cybersecurity sensors on government networks in the Northwest Territories (2022), Yukon, and Nunavut (2024) to detect and prevent attacks, following several high‑profile incidents but raising privacy concerns over data handling.

Alaska’s first recorded mule‑deer kill by Westin Nelson underscores the species’ northward spread and raises concern that winter ticks carried by these deer could jump to moose. State hunters must submit tissue samples for disease screening under newly authorized, unrestricted hunting rules.

Norway is asking the European Union to remove its moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, a move that could unlock additional exploration projects across the region.