DeskPolicyThe U.S. Coast Guard has announced that two new polar icebreakers will be homeported in Alaska, but the exact communities and required housing and infrastructure remain undetermined.
U.S. officials announced lease sales for oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain will open in June, sparking debate among environmental groups, indigenous communities, and industry.
Alaska’s offshore mineral leasing debate pits a South Carolina‑based deep‑sea mining startup against conservation, Indigenous, and fishing groups, amid federal calls for mapping.
Alaska will hold a new oil and gas lease sale within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge amid ongoing litigation.
The Trump administration has scheduled a June 5 auction for drilling rights in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a move that could open the protected area to oil and gas exploration.
The Trump administration plans to sell oil and gas lease rights for 400,000 acres in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, marking the first such sale in the wildlife‑rich area.
South Korea, hit by the Strait of Hormuz closure, is turning to Arctic shipping—especially the Northern Sea Route—to diversify oil imports, expand maritime industry, and secure economic ties with Europe.
Massive seabird die‑offs in winter storms highlight how climate‑driven weather, sea‑ice loss and food‑web shifts threaten Arctic seabird populations, ecosystems and indigenous harvests, urging coordinated flyway conservation.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has been named to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission as the agency shifts its focus from environmental science to security concerns, raising questions about Alaska’s research funding and strategic priorities.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has joined the U.S. Arctic Research Commission as the body pivots toward security concerns, highlighting Russian presence near Wrangel Island and plans to expand the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet.
Russia’s recent law suggests the Kremlin is withholding the Northern Sea Route from international use, potentially capitalizing on foreign expectations.
War in Iran threatens to double diesel prices in Alaska’s remote communities, risking shortages and high costs for fuel delivered by limited tanker shipments during a shrinking shipping season.
Arctic communities are being tested by the critical minerals rush; examples from Greenland, Alaska, and Canada show that early engagement, climate‑aware planning, and price‑stabilizing deals can protect environmental interests.
The U.S. Coast Guard will homeport its first two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska, with delivery by 2028, strengthening U.S. Arctic sovereignty, security, and maritime dominance.
Finland and Canada, during President Stubb’s Ottawa visit, signed a maritime MoU and agreed to joint research and defence initiatives to strengthen Arctic security amid growing Russian tensions.
Canada plans a $35 billion defence build‑up in the Arctic, with $5 billion earmarked for Yellowknife and Inuvik, and experts say the money will bolster detection, fighter interceptors and dual‑use infrastructure to support both military and humanitarian operations.
LKAB’s planned Per Geijer rare earth mine near Kiruna, Sweden, faces criticism for potentially violating Sami reindeer‑herders’ rights, sparking legal and human‑rights concerns.
Alaska’s gubernatorial race sparked a heated debate over trawl fisheries’ salmon bycatch, prompting industry allies to launch a radio ad campaign as candidates pledge reject industry money and push for stricter regulation.
The European Commission has appointed a former Finnish prime minister as its new Arctic relations advisor, creating a dedicated policy role to shape EU‑Arctic governance.
The European Commission has named former Finnish prime minister Jyrki Katainen as a special adviser on EU‑Arctic relations, signalling the EU’s growing influence in the region amid U.S. tensions over Greenland.
Alaska’s House rejected a Senate proposal to impose corporate income taxes on oil and gas companies like Hilcorp, citing concerns that the change could create uncertainty and deter investment in the state’s key Arctic oil operations.
A conservation group has sued NOAA Fisheries over pollock trawl catch limits, arguing that insufficient protections threaten the northern fur seal population on St. Paul Island.
A conservation group has sued NOAA Fisheries for inadequate pollock trawl fishing limits in the Bering Sea, arguing the regulations fail to protect a declining northern fur seal population on St. Paul Island.
Canada has reopened its consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, signaling renewed diplomatic engagement with Denmark and Greenland, bolstered by indigenous participation and support for Arctic security and economic cooperation.
The Alaska Legislature is debating bills to ban bottom trawling in state waters, aiming to protect salmon, the seafloor, and subsistence communities while balancing industry interests.
