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CHRIS TANNER KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A BAD YEAR. Only a fraction of the usual spring rains had fallen on his farm in northwestern Kansas and the summer [...]

The present article provides a brief introduction to the first comprehensive scholarly account in English of the history of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from the earliest exploration to the first decades of the 21st century. It was published in October 2022 under the title “From Northeast Passage to Northern Sea Route. A History of the waterway North of Eurasia” by Brill Academic Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands. This introduction touches on a few important issues that are discussed in the volume, which is written by a team of Russian, Norwegian, Dutch and British historians and political scientists. The first stage of this project was carried through in the 1990s, within the framework of INSROP (The International Northern Sea Route Programme (1993–1999)), which was conducted by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Oslo. As a result of their efforts four working papers appeared on the history of NSR. In the end a decision was made to develop the topic further into a collective monograph. This second stage of the project, however, started only many years later, in 2015, and was executed in the course of seven years, now under the leadership of the UiT  The Arctic University of Norway. In the present article you will find information about the contents and direction of the monograph, as well as a small sample from the book, chosen from a multitude of other themes, for the simple reason that it is relevant to the recent commemoration of 150th anniversary of Franz Josef Land’s discovery (1873–2023).

INTRODUCTION. The Arctic is a unique marine and terrestrial ecosystem. However, the Arctic region is currently experiencing enormous environmental stress. This is due to the following factors. The first factor is the ongoing climate change on the planet as a whole, which is most clearly seen in the Arctic. Researchers claim that some species of flora and fauna are threatened with extinction. For example, the polar bear, the largest specie in the Arctic trophic chain, is currently experiencing great difficulties in finding food due to the abundant melting of glaciers and, as a result, the reduction of its habitat. Global warming is also causing changes in habitats and migration routes not only for Arctic species, but also for other species that have never climbed so high to the north. Nowadays, local fishermen sometimes catch species of fish that have never been seen in Arctic waters before. Cases of Pacific salmon entering the Atlantic Ocean through the Arctic seas have also been recorded. There is another problem related to the climate factor. For many years, a huge amount of toxic waste has been stored in the Arctic coastal areas. Due to the melting of permafrost, pollutants enter the marine ecosystem, accumulate in marine biota and as a result end up on our table. The second factor is the increased anthropogenic impact due to both climate change and the Arctic political strategies of several states at once. The development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), the increase in the intensity of navigation, exploration and extraction of natural resources, construction of infrastructure facilities and other human activities have a negative impact on the environment. The Arctic ecosystem is facing an increase in production and consumption waste [Kallenborn, Brorstrom-Lunden, Reiersen, Wilson 2018:33001; Jaskolski, Pawlowski, Strzelecki, Zagorski, Lane 2018:2011], noise [Quijano, Hannay, Austin 2019:1228; Stevenson, Davies, Huntington, Sheard 2019:83; Kyhn, Sveegaard, Tougaard 2014:424], light [Ludvigsen, Berge, Geoffroy, Cohen, De La Torre, Nornes, Singh, Sorensen, Daase, Johnsen 2018; Bennie, Duffy, Davies, Correa-Cano, Gaston 2015:2715], vibration, temperature, chemical and biological pollution. The risk of man-made accidents and catastrophes increases, which can lead to even more dangerous consequences.MATERIALS AND METHODS. We have studied and analyzed international agreements and other documents on the protection of the Arctic marine environment. The texts of these documents were taken for analysis on the official pages on the Internet. Such resources include, for example, the official website of the United Nations Organization (UN), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), etc. Work with Russian legal acts included access to such portals as the official website of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Administration of the Northern Sea Route, the ConsultantPlus Legal Reference System, etc. The international documents were divided into groups, which are presented in a separate table. This made it possible to structure the work, avoid long lists in the text and focus on the most important aspects of the topic under consideration. The research is also based on published works of experts in the field of International law, law of the sea, environmental law, political science, environmental science and other fields of knowledge. Web of Science (webofknowledge. com), Russian scientific electronic library (elibrary. ru), Researchgate (researchgate.net) and other systems became the resources for working with literature. The author also studied law enforcement practice, trends in the development of scientific research in the region, as well as some political processes that are somehow related to the modern legal regulation of marine environment protection in the Arctic. The term “Arctic states” is used in this article as it is given in the [Vylegzhanin 2013]. The term “coastal States” is used in this article as it is given in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.RESEARCH RESULTS. As a result of ongoing climate changes on the planet, as well as due to increased anthropogenic pressure on the region, the fragile ecosystem of the Arctic is currently subject to various types of pollution (noise, vibration, light, radioactive, various types of waste, etc.) and degradation. Both scientists and politicians pay attention to this. We have analyzed the existing international and national norms, regulating relations for the protection of the Arctic marine environment. For these purposes, international documents, depending on the range of regulated issues, were divided into five groups: 1) general; 2) special; 3) agreements regulating liability and compensation issues; 4) environmental agreements that indirectly regulate the protection of the marine environment; 5) Arctic documents. It is determined that the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (hereinaſter referred to as the Convention of 1982) is one of the main “general” agreements, which not only establishes the obligations of participating countries to protect the marine environment, but also provides coastal states with special environmental requirements in ice–covered areas, including the Arctic Ocean. In this regard, the Russian Federation has undertaken an obligation to regulate navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route (hereinaſter – the NSR) for the purposes of environmental protection and prevention of pollution from ships.The issue of the need to develop and sign a separate agreement on the Arctic was also considered by the author, and the conclusion was formulated that there is no need and objective possibility of implementing such an initiative, especially in the current political situation in the world. The author notes that all specialized international Arctic documents have an ecocentric focus, which meets the intentions of the Arctic states, including Russia, to continue the development and development of Arctic territories and waters with mandatory compliance with modern environmental requirements. In this regard, the development of scientific research in the Arctic and the improvement of the best existing environmental technologies are of particular importance. The 2017 Agreement on Strengthening International Arctic Scientific Cooperation is designed to promote the development of joint research and information exchange. However, in light of the suspension of scientific and technical cooperation between the Russian Federation and other Arctic states, we cannot consider its effectiveness today.DISCUSSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. There is a large number of documents regulating the protection of the Arctic marine environment, which have been developed at the international level. The Arctic ecosystem needs special protection because of its vulnerability. The ongoing climate change and melting of glaciers have led to an increase in anthropogenic pressure on the region. At the same time, it is known that any human activity has a negative impact on the state of the environment. Despite the existence of a large number of international and national documents on the protection of the Arctic marine environment, many issues have not yet been resolved. Today we face the need to fill in the existing gaps. However, the development of regulatory documents should be based on the results of scientific research in various fields of knowledge. This will ensure the validity of the decisions made. The Arctic is subject to international regulation, and the fragile Arctic environment is also protected internationally. The Arctic region differs from the Antarctic: the Antarctic Treaty effectively freezes territorial claims to the South Pole and allows states to protect the environment. The land part of the Arctic belongs to eight Arctic states. Therefore, international cooperation in the Arctic region faces many challenges, and the norms of nternational law, such as the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, are necessary to resolve emerging disputes.

ABSTRACTThis paper outlines the methodological approaches to a multi-site Circumpolar case study exploring the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous and remote communities in 7 of 8 Arctic countries. Researchers involved with the project implemented a three-phase multi-site case study to assess the positive and negative societal outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Arctic communities from 2020 to 2023. The goal of the multi-site case study was to identify community-driven models and evidence-based promising practices and recommendations that can help inform cohesive and coordinated public health responses and protocols related to future public health emergencies in the Arctic. Research sites included a minimum of 1 one community each from Canada (Nunavut,) United States of America (Alaska), Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland. The approaches used for our multi-site case study provide a comprehensive, evidence-based account of the complex health challenges facing Arctic communities, offering insights into the effectiveness of interventions, while also privileging Indigenous local knowledge and voices. The mixed method multi-site case study approach enriched the understanding of unique regional health disparities and strengths during the pandemic. These methodological approaches serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and healthcare professionals, informing future strategies and interventions.

This paper explores how policies and programs can better support country food security and food sovereignty in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut. Through a series of six focus groups with a total of 74 participants, we explore the challenges that Elders, youth, hunters, food preparers, and program providers face in the access, availability, quality, and use of country food. Despite the diverse representation among focus groups, participants revealed similar challenges across demographics and highlighted how tailored policies and programs can provide complementary solutions that serve more than one purpose. We argue that policies and programs targeting financial and economic challenges; resources and infrastructure; and skills and knowledge will improve country food security and will promote food sovereignty. Ultimately, policies and programs must be community informed and tailored to their current context and community dynamics. However, the recommendations we provide could be adapted to other Arctic communities experiencing similar challenges. Keywords: country food; food security; food sovereignty; Inuit self-governance; food programs; Arctic; hunting; Elder; youth; knowledge holders Cet article se penche sur la maniere dont les politiques et les programmes peuvent mieux soutenir la securite alimentaire basee sur les aliments traditionnels et la souverainete alimentaire de Gjoa Haven, au Nunavut. Grace a une serie de six groupes de discussion comptant un total de 74 participants, nous explorons les defis que doivent relever les aines, les jeunes, les chasseurs, les preparateurs d'aliments et les fournisseurs de programmes en matiere d'acces, de disponibilite, de qualite et d'utilisation des aliments traditionnels. Malgre la representation et les caracteristiques demographiques variees des groupes de discussion, les participants ont affirme faire face a des defis de meme nature. Ils ont egalement mentionne que des politiques et des programmes sur mesure peuvent offrir des solutions complementaires revetant plus d'un objectif. Nous soutenons que des politiques et des programmes tenant compte des defis financiers et economiques, des ressources et des infrastructures de meme que des competences et des connaissances permettront d'ameliorer la securite alimentaire basee sur les aliments traditionnels et favoriseront la souverainete alimentaire. Au bout du compte, les politiques et les programmes doivent prendre en consideration les besoins de la communaute et etre adaptes a leur contexte actuel de meme qu'a la dynamique de la communaute. Cependant, il y a lieu de noter que les recommandations que nous faisons pourraient etre adaptees a d'autres communautes arctiques ayant des defis semblables a relever. Mots-cles : aliments traditionnels; securite alimentaire; souverainete alimentaire; autonomie inuite; programmes alimentaires; Arctique; chasse; aine; jeune; gardien du savoir Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nicole Giguere., INTRODUCTION Country food is crucial for the well-being of Inuit people in Canada and the circumpolar world. Country food is linked to Inuit identity and way of life, and supports [...]

This article adopts a cross-cultural lens to understand why Inuit women enter and leave mining jobs in Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homelands), Canada, using Nunavik as a case study. Previous research has often depicted Indigenous women as either victims of mining or as anti-mining activists. Interviews with ten Nunavimmiut women (Inuit women of Nunavik), who had worked or were currently working at one of two mines in Nunavik, complicate these portrayals. As a team consisting of settler and Inuit scholars, we draw on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles to extend previous understandings of Indigenous women's pathways through, and out of, mining employment. Women's descriptions of mining employment were ambivalent. Inuit women applied qanuqtuurunnarniq (resourcefulness) in using mining work to share with others, connect with Inuit culture and community after moving to southern cities, and participate in language and skills training. However, over half of the women interviewed ultimately left mining when it compromised their ability to achieve well-being by restricting their ability to care for their children, to develop their skills through job advancement, or both. Collectively, the narratives demonstrate how women adopted multi-faceted strategies to pursue a good life; they considered mining employment in relation to their ability to care for and share with others, work for a common purpose, acquire skills and training, and maintain connections with land and culture. By centring Inuit values and well-being, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles prompt a reimagining of how mining might be reorganized to support the lives of Inuit women in the context of devastating impacts of colonial trauma and displacement. Keywords: Indigenous; mining; gender; Arctic; women; agency; extraction; Inuit; well-being; Indigenous knowledge; Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit S'appuyant sur une etude de cas du Nunavik, cet article adopte une optique interculturelle pour comprendre ce qui incite les Inuites a accepter des emplois dans l'industrie miniere de l'Inuit Nunangat (terres ancestrales des Inuits), au Canada et ce qui les incite a quitter ces emplois. D'apres d'autres etudes, les femmes autochtones sont souvent considerees soit comme des victimes de l'exploitation miniere, soit comme des activistes militant contre l'exploitation miniere. Des entrevues avec dix Inuites du Nunavik qui ont travaille a l'une des deux mines du Nunavik ou qui y travaillent encore viennent compliquer ces hypotheses. En tant qu'equipe composee d'erudits colonisateurs ou inuits, nous nous appuyons sur les principes de l'Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit pour mieux comprendre le cheminement des femmes autochtones dans le cadre de leurs emplois miniers, a l'entree et a la sortie de ce secteur. Les descriptions des emplois miniers par les femmes etaient ambivalentes. Les Inuites faisaient preuve de qanuqtuurunnarniq (ingeniosite) en ce sens qu'elles se servaient de leur emploi du secteur minier pour se rapprocher d'autres personnes, pour faire le lien avec leur culture inuite et la communaute apres avoir demenage dans des villes plus au sud et pour prendre part a des occasions de formation en langue et d'acquisition de competences. Toutefois, plus de la moitie des femmes interviewees finissaient par quitter le milieu minier lorsque celui-ci compromettait leur bien-etre en restreignant leur capacite a prendre soin de leurs enfants, a acquerir des competences par le biais de l'avancement professionnel, ou les deux. Sur le plan collectif, les temoignages des femmes permettent de comprendre comment elles ont adopte des strategies polyvalentes pour se faire une bonne vie. Elles ont considere un emploi dans le secteur minier en tenant compte de leur capacite a s'occuper des autres et a se rapprocher d'autrui, de travailler dans un but commun, d'acquerir des competences, de faire de la formation et d'entretenir des liens avec la terre et la culture. En mettant l'accent sur le bien-etre et les valeurs des Inuits, les principes de l'Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit incitent a repenser comment l'exploitation miniere pourrait etre reorganisee pour favoriser le bien-etre des Inuites dans le contexte des effets devastateurs des deplacements et des traumatismes du colonialisme. Mots-cles: Autochtone; exploitation miniere; genre; Arctique; femmes; agence; extraction; Inuit; connaissances des Autochtones en matiere de bien-etre; Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nicole Giguere., INTRODUCTION All I can say is that [the mine] is so positive for me personally, in my head and healthy. And what I don't like is being apart from home. [...]

Polar bears rely upon sea ice to hunt, travel, and reproduce. Declining sea ice extent and duration has led polar bears to be designated as “threatened” (ESA). Population monitoring is vital to polar bear conservation; but recently, poor sea ice has made traditional aircraft-based methods less viable. These methods largely rely upon the capture and handling of polar bears, and have been criticized over animal welfare concerns. Monitoring polar bears via DNA sampling is a promising option. One common method utilizes biopsy darts delivered from a helicopter to collect DNA, a method that faces similar ice associated challenges to those described above. However, epidermal cells shed from the foot pads of a polar bear into its paw-prints in snow are a source of “environmental DNA” (e-DNA) that can be collected non-invasively on the sea ice or on land for potential use in population monitoring. Mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) is used to assess whether polar bear DNA is present within a snow sample, and nuclear DNA (n-DNA) can identify individuals and their sex. The goal of this investigation was to assess the viability of using e-DNA collected from paw-prints in the snow to identify individual polar bears and their sex. Snow was sampled from 13 polar bear trails (10 paw-prints per trail) on the sea ice in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas along the North Slope of Alaska. Species verification was based on a mt-DNA PCR fragment analysis test. Identification of individuals was accomplished by amplifying a multiplex of seven n-DNA microsatellite loci, and sex was determined by the amelogenin gene sex ID marker. Six of the 13 bear trails sampled (46%) yielded consensus genotypes for five unique males and one female. To our knowledge, this is the first time that polar bears have been individually identified by genotype and sex using e-DNA collected from snow. This method is non-invasive, could be integrated into genetic mark-recapture sampling designs, and addresses some of the current challenges arising from poor sea ice conditions. It also can involve, engage, and empower Indigenous communities in the Arctic, which are greatly affected by polar bear management decisions.