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Greenpeace activists cling to Arctic drill rig

On Sunday Greenpeace activists climbed up an oil rig off Greenland’s coast in an attempt to stop the Scottish oil company, Cairn Energy, from starting deepwater drilling in the arctic waters. The activists arrived at the rig in inflatable speedboats launched from the Greenpeace ship Esperanza, which had avoided a Danish warship shadowing them for days.

The environmental group said the activists scaled the Cairn Energy rig early Sunday and are now hanging under it in a “survival pod”, which is occupied by two Greenpeace members. It said the group has enough food and water to stay there for 10 days. Cairn Energy had earlier this month won permission to drill up to seven oil exploration wells off the Arctic island’s west coast.

Greenpeace has criticized Cairn, which is the only company drilling in the area, for not taking the extra precautions needed to avoid accidents such as the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The company has said that they “seeks to operate in a safe and prudent manner” and pointed out that authorities in Greenland have established stringent operating regulations, similar to those applied in the Norwegian North Sea.
Greenpeace said it hopes the action can stall Cairn’s plans to complete the exploration before winter, forcing the company to abandon the search for oil for another year. for they claim that if drilling is delayed for just a short time, Cairn could struggle to meet a tight deadline to complete the exploration before winter ice closes in, forcing it to abandon the search.

Cairn Energy is currently the only company drilling in the area, but Greenpeace has warned that an arctic oil rush could be set off if the company strikes oil this summer.

“We are preventing it from drilling because an oil spill up here would be nearly impossible to deal with due to the freezing conditions and remote location,” States Greenpeace campaigner Ben Ayliffe. “A BP-style blow-out off the Greenland coast would make the Deepwater Horizon clean-up look simple.”

Greenpeace activists also climbed aboard the Leiv Eiriksson rig when it left a port in Istanbul in April, but were forced to abandon that protest due to bad weather. Last year, activists also tried to stop drilling in the area by climbing onto Cairn’s Stena Don rig.

Source: physorg
Greenpeace

May 31, 2011
Reindeer Ultraviolet vision crucial to their survival

Scientists from the UCL University have discovered that reindeer can not only see ultraviolet (UV) light, but that it is also crucial to their survival in the harsh Arctic environment.

A research team from the UCL, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, published a study which shows that this remarkable visual ability allows reindeer to take in life-saving information in conditions where normal mammalian vision would make them vulnerable to starvation, predators and territorial conflict.

Winter conditions in the Arctic mean that the sun barely rises in the middle of the day and light is scattered such that the majority of light that reaches objects is blue or UV. In addition to this, snow can reflect up to 90% of the UV light that falls on it.

“We discovered that reindeer can not only see ultraviolet light but they can also make sense of the image to find food and stay safe. Humans and almost all other mammals could never do this as our lenses just don’t let UV through into the eye.” Says Glen Jeffery, Professor of Neuroscience at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and the lead researcher on the project.

Humans are able to see light with wavelengths ranging from around 700 nanometres (nm), which corresponds to the colour red, right through all the colours of the rainbow in sequence to 400nm, which corresponds to violet. Professor Jeffery and his team tested the reindeer’s vision to see what wavelengths they could see and found that they can handle wavelengths down to around 350–320nm, which is termed ultraviolet, because it exceeds the extreme of the so-called visible spectrum of colours.

“When we used cameras that could pick up UV, we noticed that there are some very important things that absorb UV light and therefore appear black, contrasting strongly with the snow. This includes urine – a sign of predators or competitors; lichens – a major food source in winter; and fur, making predators such as wolves very easy to see despite being camouflaged to other animals that can’t see UV.” Says Jeffery.

The research also raises the question of how reindeer protect their eyes from being damaged by UV, which is thought to be harmful to human vision.

“In conditions where there is a lot of UV – when surrounded by snow, for example – it can be damaging to our eyes. In the process of blocking UV light from reaching the retina, our cornea and lens absorb its damaging energy and can be temporarily burned. The front of the eye becomes cloudy and so we call this snow blindness. Although this is normally reversible and plays a vital role to protect our sensitive retinas from potential damage, it is very painful.”

“The question remains as to why the reindeer’s eyes don’t seem to be damaged by UV. Perhaps it’s not as bad for eyes as we first thought? Or maybe they have a unique way of protecting themselves, which we could learn from and perhaps develop new strategies to prevent or treat the damage the UV can cause to humans.” Professor Jeffery added.

Source: UCL

May 27, 2011
Volcanic Eruption in Iceland Comes to a Halt

The volcanic eruption in the volcano Grímsvötn seems to have stopped. According to eyewitnesses this morning, the volcanic column rises only a hundred meters (330 feet) from the crater. A thick layer of ash lies all around the crater on the glacier.

The eruption in Grímsvötn has steadily grown smaller since monday. The volcanic column reached an altitude of three to five kilometers (16.000 feet) yesterday, and the output of ash is was considerably smaller than the day before, when the volcaninc column reched an altitude of 10 kilometers (32.000 feet). There have been very strong northerly winds in the area blowing the ash to the south. The winds have gone down today, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

About 100 tons of volcanic materials erupt per second from the volcano in Grimsvotn yesterday. The day before, it was about 1,000 tons per second. As a comparison the output was ten to twenty thousand tons per second when the eruption peaked last Sunday. Volcanic tremors have, however, stayed unchanged.

According to the Meteorological Office there have been no deep tremors and no lightning detected since midday monday. The strong northerly winds in the area yesterday, blew the ash to the south and causing much ash drift in the area but it has stopped for now.

This explosive eruption was accompanied by great amounts of ash. The ice around the crater melts and water in the subglacial lake at Grímsvötn causes the volcanic materials to explode, creating huge volume of ash.

This eruption has caused some problems for the residents in the small town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur at the south coast of Iceland, where ash has spread heavily on the town. This has caused serious interruption in the daily life of people who foresee a great cleanup of ash. The fine grained ash slips through very narrow cracks and fills houses and other equipments with the material. This has caused decreased air quality in the area, and some people have relocated cleaner areas.

For local farmers, the ash spread has caused some damage to the live stock and their equipment. However, the toxic content in the ash is low which means that their fields remain more or less unspoiled. In the long term, the ash serves as a natural fertilizer.

Some disturbances in flight schedules have affected Northern Europe and Iceland, where the ash has spread to Scotland and Norway. The ash cloud is likely to spread further into the European Mainland and disrupt flights there.

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May 25, 2011
IPY 2012 From Knowledge to Action Conference April 22-27, 2012 Montréal, Canada

The From Knowledge to Action International Polar Year (IPY) 2012 Conference features the latest polar research results from global leaders in Arctic and Antarctic science.

Endorsed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Council for Science (ICSU) as the third and final conference to close IPY 2007 – 2008, the From Knowledge to Action Conference will be hosted in Montréal, Canada from April 22-27, 2012.

Occurring at a pivotal moment for the environment of our planet, this Conference draws international attention to global environmental issues that affect us all. We are witnesses to the global impacts of climate change. Scientific evidence reveals the critical role that the polar regions play in the Earth’s systems. What is happening at the Poles will alter the polar environments and change the course of human and economic development.

From Knowledge to Action will bring together Arctic and Antarctic researchers, policy- and decision-makers, and a broad range of interested parties from academia, industry, nongovernment, education, Arctic communities, and circumpolar indigenous peoples. Together these groups will address challenges, share and apply knowledge of the polar regions and discuss opportunities and solutions for adapting to global change.

The IPY 2012 Conference will contribute to the translation of new polar scientific findings into an evidence-based agenda for action that will influence global decisions, policies and outcomes over the coming years.

May 24, 2011
Arctic Search and Rescue Agreement

The first international agreement made exclusively for the Arctic region was signed at the ministerial meeting in Nuuk, May 12 2011. The agreement, which deals with search and rescue of aeronautical and maritime vessels and passengers, is also the first international agreement made under the auspices of the Arctic Council. The Arctic Council is now planning another international agreement for adoption which will deal with oil pollution in the Arctic.

The Agreement on cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic (Agreement) was made in accordance with the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, both of which are established and widely recognized international law. The objective of the Agreement is, however, to further strengthen aeronautical and maritime search and rescue cooperation and coordination in the Arctic. In order for that to be clear, each member state was given a particular Search and Rescue area which it is responsible for.

The main emphasis of the Agreement is to develop swift and efficient measures when accidents occur in the harsh Arctic region and to ensure, as much as possible, proper search and rescue operations. This is done by the clauses where the member states commit themselves to nominate certain national institutions in each state that will have full discretion in the field of search and rescue in the area. These national institutions are not only bound to take efficient measures, but also to notify other relevant national institutions when appropriate.

The most significant clause of the Agreement is Art. 8 where member states obligate themselves to send a permission request to another member state when e.g. a rescue vessel enters the Search and Rescue area of another State. This is obviously not unconventional, but the article also states that the receiving national institution “shall immediately confirm such receipt” and, as soon as possible, let the member state of the requesting vessel know if the request is permitted and under which conditions, if any.

Needless to say, the Agreement is only the beginning of a specific cooperation among the Arctic states and, as clearly stated in the Agreement, it will develop and be subject of amendments as search and rescue operation in the region become more apparent. The idea is then to make the Agreement more effective and cooperation more efficient. These objectives might be reached by the statements made in Art. 9 of the Agreement, where signatories oblige to maintain widespread cooperation on search and rescue. The most important cooperative measures of the member states is exchange of information on e.g. communication details, information about search and rescue facilities, lists of available airfields and ports and their refueling and resupply capabilities, knowledge of fueling, supply and medical facilities and information useful for training search and rescue personnel.

The Agreement will without any doubt strengthen cooperation between the Arctic states and improve the way Arctic countries respond to emergency calls in the region. The necessity of such an agreement and cooperation is great, as accidents in the region rely on swift responses and efficient operations, as much as fully qualified rescue personnel and equipment. It is hoped that the Agreement will not just work as an important instrument for saving properties and lives, but also to further forge the cooperation of the Arctic states.

May 23, 2011
Volcanic Eruption Started Again in Iceland

A volcanic eruption has started in Iceland underneath the glacier Vatnajökull on Saturday around 7 PM. The volcano, called “Grímsvötn” is spewing large amounts of ash up to 11 kilometers high (35 thousand feet) up into the air.

The ash has fallen on the southern part of Iceland. In areas where the ash cloud is very dense and the amount of fallout considerable, people are advised to stay indoors if possible, close all doors and windows and warm up their houses in order to push out the ash.

The International airport in Keflavik, Iceland has been closed since 8:30 Sunday morning and air companies have already cancelled flights. The domestic airport in Reykjavik and many other towns are also closed so no domestic flight has been operating.

There has been little impact on European or transatlantic flights after the Grimsvotn volcano’s eruption, where aircrafts have been diverted from the ash cloud. However, ash is expected to reach Scotland on Tuesday and could enter France and Spain on Thursday, Ash could reach the United Kingdom and northern continental Europe Wednesday. Weather patterns this weekend have been very different from the northerly winds that swept through the region after last year’s eruption. However ash cloud’s movement is difficult to predict.

The intensity of the eruption has decreased slightly since its climax on Saturday night when the magma flow exceeded 10,000 tons per second and the ash plume reached 15 kilometers (50 thousand feet). The magma flow on Sunday afternoon was estimated to be 2-5,000 tons per second. No effusion of lava has been observed.

There has been no immediate danger to people in the area but it has started to affect live stock that can not graze due to ash cover. Lambing season in the area is finishing and farmers have to keep all their stock in their sheepcotes, which is getting more and more cramped.

Ice-melt is not expected to be great and therefore floods or swelling of rivers in the next few days is considered unlikely.
Grímsvötn is Iceland’s most active volcano. Usually the eruptions occur at an interval of a few years. Most of these eruptions last a few days. The eruption is very big this time. However, experts consider it unlikely to cause anything similar to the chaos of the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull in 2010.

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May 23, 2011
Arctic Council Nuuk Ministerial Meeting

The Arctic Council Nuuk Ministerial Meeting participants held a press conference at the end of the meeting, where they expressed their satisfaction with the results of the meeting.

The Search and Rescue Agreement was considered ground-breaking, as it is the first legally binding agreement negotiated under the auspices of the Arctic Council and an important step towards safe shipping in the Arctic. The shipping and resource management will be a priority in the Swedish chairmanship agenda Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt stating, that “Arctic Countries need enhanced cooperation on many future challenges in the Arctic, not least prevention, preparedness and response to oil spills. As incoming chair we will press forward with this agenda.”

Arctic Council Permanent Participants had a different perspective, stating that the environmental issues are the most important for their communities. To maintain a healthy Arctic environment is a prerequisite for the survival of their culture and livelihoods. In the coming Swedish chairmanship period they will also “commit to working on improving health by establishing adaptive measures to protect our traditional food sources and to support and strengthen indigenous languages”, stated Rodion Sulyandziga, Chairman of the Indigenous Peoples Secretariat.

Sources: AC, IPS

May 16, 2011
Historical Agreement signed today at the Arctic Council Nuuk Ministerial Meeting

The foreign Ministers of the Arctic countries and leaders of the Arctic Indigenous Peoples witnessed a historical moment today at the Nuuk Ministerial Meeting, when the first legally binding agreement established under the auspices of the Arctic Council was signed.

The Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic lays down a framework to strengthen search and rescue cooperation and coordination in the Arctic airspace and waters.

The Parties commit themselves to broad cooperation and agree to seek cooperation also with other countries who may be able to contribute to the Arctic search and rescue operations. The agreement further delimits operational regions for the Parties, who each will bear their own costs deriving from the implementation of the Agreement.

For the full text of the Agreement click the Agreement name here above or go to the Arctic Council.

The Nuuk Declaration

The Ministers also gave out a Declaration marking the policy for the next biennial period. The ministers decided to strengthen the capacity of the Arctic Council to respond to the challenges and opportunities facing the Arctic by establishing a permanent Arctic Council secretariat in Tromsø, Norway. They also call for an assessment of the current state of human development in the Arctic and its relationship with climate change and recognize the need for an integrated assessment of multiple drivers of Arctic change as a tool for Indigenous Peoples, Arctic residents, governments and industry to prepare for the future.

In above photos are Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State of the US and Össur Skarphéðinsson, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland at the SAR signing.

May 12, 2011
High Arctic species on thin ice

A new assessment of the Arctic’s biodiversity reports a 26% decline in species populations in the High Arctic. The ASTI includes almost 1,000 datasets on Arctic species population trends, including representation from 35% of all known vertebrate species found in the Arctic.

Populations of Lemmings, Caribou and Red Knot are some of the species that have experienced declines over the past 34 years, according to the first report from the Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI), which provides crucial information on how the Arctic’s ecosystems and wildlife are responding to environmental change.

While some of these declines may be part of a natural cycle, there is concern that pressures such as climate change may be exacerbating natural cyclic declines.

In contrast, population levels of species living in the Sub Arctic and Low Arctic are relatively stable and in some cases, increasing. Populations of marine mammals, including Bowhead Whales found in the Low Arctic, may have benefitted from the recent tightening of hunting laws. Some fish species have also experienced population increases in response to rising sea temperatures.

“Rapid changes to the Arctic’s ecosystems will have consequences for the Arctic that will be felt globally. The Arctic is host to abundant and diverse wildlife populations, many of which migrate annually from all regions of the globe. This region acts as a critical component in the Earth’s physical, chemical, and biological regulatory system,” says lead-author Louise McRae from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Data collected on migratory Arctic shorebirds show that their numbers have also decreased. Further research is now needed to determine whether this is the result of changes in the Arctic or at other stopover sites on their migration routes.

Louise McRae adds: “Migratory Arctic species such as Brent Goose, Dunlin and Turnstone are regular visitors to the UK’s shores. We need to sit up and take notice of what’s happening in other parts of the world if we want to continue to experience a diversity of wildlife on our own doorstep.”

Co-author Christoph Zöckler from the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre says: “The establishment of these results comes at a crucial time for finding accurate indicators to monitor global biodiversity as governments strive to meet their targets of reducing biodiversity loss.”

The Arctic Species Trend Index was commissioned by the Arctic Council’s CAFF Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program. The development of the index was a collaboration between the CBMP, the Zoological Society of London, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Further information is available from: www.asti.is.

May 12, 2011
Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Plan

Arctic biodiversity is under growing pressure from both climate change and resource development, requiring both managers and users to have access to more complete information to help them make timely and informed conservation and adaptation decisions.

Yet existing monitoring programs remain largely uncoordinated, limiting our ability to effectively monitor, understand and respond to biodiversity trends at the circumpolar scale. The maintenance of healthy Arctic ecosystems is a global imperative as the Arctic plays a critical role in the Earth’s physical, chemical and biological balance. Maintaining the health of Arctic ecosystems is also of fundamental economic, cultural and spiritual importance to Arctic residents, many of whom maintain close ties to the land and sea.

The Arctic’s size and complexity represents a significant challenge towards detecting and attributing changes in biodiversity. This demands an integrated, pan-Arctic, ecosystem-based approach that can effectively identify important trends in biodiversity and identify their underlying causes.

To meet these challenges, Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) is working with partners across the Arctic to harmonize and enhance long-term Arctic biodiversity monitoring in order to facilitate more rapid detection, communication and response to significant trends and pressures. Towards this end, the CBMP is developing four, ecosystem-based Arctic biodiversity monitoring plans (Marine, Terrestrial, Freshwater and Coastal). These umbrella monitoring plans work with existing monitoring capacity to facilitate improved and cost-effective monitoring through enhanced integration and coordination.

The Arctic Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Plan (CBMP-Marine Plan) is the first of the CBMP’s four pan-Arctic biodiversity monitoring plans. The overall goal of the CBMP-Marine Plan is to improve our ability to detect and understand the causes of long-term change in the composition, structure and function of arctic marine ecosystems, as well as to develop authoritative assessments of key elements of arctic marine biodiversity (e.g., key indicators, ecologically pivotal and/or other important taxa).

The CBMP-Marine Plan integrates existing marine biodiversity monitoring efforts (both traditional scientific and community-based) from across the Arctic and represents an agreement between six Arctic coastal nations and a great number of national, regional, Aboriginal and academic organizations and agencies in all six countries on how to monitor arctic marine ecosystems.

Arctic Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Plan Report

Practical information

Further information at www.caff.is.
Contact: Tom Barry.

May 11, 2011