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Media
Inuit seek strong stand on development, climate change at UN meeting. "During this past week's Global Preparatory Indigenous Peoples Conference in the Arctic city of Alta, Norway...Inuit at the conference called for indigenous people to derive more benefit from resource development and the use of their traditional knowledge." Nunatsiaq Online
Praise and criticism for fracking approval in northern Canadian region. "ConocoPhillips Canada is planning to drill this winter after its exploratory fracking project was approved Tuesday by the Sahtu Land and Water Board in Canada's Northwest Territories. The company received a land use permit and water licence which will allow the company to drill two horizontal wells." Eye on the Arctic
 Fisheries regulators take steps toward Alaska Bering Sea Canyon conservation. "Carved into the Bering Sea shelf are some of the ocean's largest underwater canyons. The bigger ones run more than a mile deep, and in spots they're dense with corals and sponges. They're also home to some commercial fisheries, and factory trawlers will often go there to catch pollock. Now, fisheries regulators have charted a path for managing this habitat, which allows for future conservation measures." Eye on the Arctic
Arctic Council finds permanent housing in Tromsų, Norway. "The Arctic Council, the most important multilateral organization in the circumpolar north, has opened the offices for its permanent secretariat in Tromsų, Norway. This is an important moment for the now 17 year-old body because it visibly signifies to the rest of the world that the Arctic Council exists outside of the ethereal alphabet soup of intergovernmental organizations." Alaska Dispatch
India to expand engagement in the Arctic. "India is all set to expand its engagement in the Arctic. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who on Wednesday visited the remote island of Ny Alesund with his Norwegian counterpart, Espen Barth Eide, announced that India is in the process of increasing its presence in the Arctic and at "Himadri", India's research lab located here. The Indian and Norwegian delegation, which came on a special chartered flight, also examined other research facilities on the island that has been turned into the world's frontier post for research on the Arctic and houses 180 scientists from more than 10 nations." NDTV.com
Shipping plans laid for the Arctic. "Board members from the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have met with ministers from shipping nations around the world and the secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), to discuss Arctic shipping. The meeting took place at the Oslo 2013 Maritime Summit and was attended by ministers and senior officials from Greece, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, the US and the European Commission. Discussions related to the need for government and industry cooperation in order to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Arctic shipping, in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner." Transport and Logistics News
Opinion: All eyes turn to the prize as the Arctic opens for business. "This essay on the future of the Arctic by Tavis Potts, Senior Lecturer in Oceans Governance at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, is part of a series of articles marking the launch of The Conversation in the UK." The Conversation
Is Arctic drilling safe? "As the Obama administration tries to walk the line between environmental and economic interests, critics warn that the Arctic is too harsh for drilling." The Week
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Legislative Action
Today at 10 a.m., the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs will hold a hearing to discuss, among other bills, H.R. 1491 (Bonamici of OR), which would aid in the cleanup resulting from the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami. To see the full agenda or watch the archived webcast, visit the Committee Site.
Yesterday, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed out of committee over a dozen bills including:
- H.R. 740 "Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act" (Young of AK): To provide for the settlement of certain claims under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
- H.R. 1548 "Native American Energy Act" (Young of AK): To facilitate the development of energy on Indian lands by reducing Federal regulations that impede tribal development of Indian lands, and for other purposes.
- H.R. 2231 "Offshore Energy and Jobs Act" (Hastings of WA): To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to increase energy exploration and production on the Outer Continental Shelf, provide for equitable revenue sharing for all coastal States, implement the reorganization of the functions of the former Minerals Management Service into distinct and separate agencies, and for other purposes.
To see the full agenda or watch the archived webcast, visit the Committee Site
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Future Events
**New This Week**
White House Roundtable Discussion with Federal Government Officials, National Strategy for the Arctic Region, June 14 (Gorsuch Commons #107, Univ. of Alaska Anchorage, 2:00-5:00 p.m.).
"On May 10, 2013, the  President signed the National Strategy for the Arctic Region. At that time - recognizing that successful implementation of the National Strategy will depend upon productive collegial engagement with Alaska Natives, the State of Alaska, Members of Alaska's congressional delegation, and other key stakeholders - the White House announced that it would host initial meetings in Alaska in June to discuss how best to move forward. Please join us for a roundtable moderated by Fran Ulmer, Chair of the US Arctic Research Commission."
Participants include:
- Nancy Sutley (Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality)
- Kathy Sullivan (Acting Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
- David Hayes (Deputy Secretary of the Interior)
- Tommy P. Beaudreau (Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)
- Rear Admiral Thomas Ostebo (U.S. Coast Guard)
- Ambassador David Balton (Department of State)
- Tony Ceraolo (Director, Maritime Security & Director, Arctic Region Policy, National Security Staff)
- Brendan P. Kelly (Assist. Director, Polar Science, Office of Science & Technology Policy, EOP)
For further information, please contact:
Brendan P. Kelly Fran Ulmer
bkelly@ostp.eop.gov or fran.ulmer@arctic.gov
202-456-6056
**New This Week** NOAA Arctic Science Days, June 19-20, 2013, 1-5 p.m. (Silver Spring, MD). "The NOAA Arctic Task Force will be hosting Arctic Science days for two afternoons to learn about the range of activities NOAA has going on in the Arctic region. These two afternoon sessions will be framed around the six goals laid out in NOAA's Arctic Vision and Strategy. On Wednesday, we will cover sea ice and weather prediction, as well as basic scientific research. Thursday will focus on partnerships, stewardship, as well as navigation and emergency response." Location: Silver Spring Metro Center, Building 3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, Room 12836. Remote webinar access will be made available for this event.
AGU Science Policy Conference, June 24-26, 2013 (Washington, DC). 
"Hundreds of Earth and space scientists, students,
policymakers, and industry professionals will discuss key Earth and space science topics that address challenges to our economy, national security, environment, and public safety. This meeting will focus on the science that helps inform policymakers' decisions related to energy, natural hazards, technology and infrastructure, climate, oceans, and the Arctic. See the 6/25 forum titled 'US Government Investment in Arctic Change Research.' The event is hosted by American Geophysical Union (AGU), a Washington, D.C.-based international nonprofit scientific association." The USARC is a co-sponsor of the Arctic forum, through ARCUS.
"The U.S. National/Naval Ice Center (NIC) and the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) will co-host this follow-on symposium to address the changing state of Arctic sea ice and associated environmental conditions vis-a-vis emerging or expected naval, maritime, and associated activities and operations in the region. Invited speakers include nationally and internationally recognized experts on Arctic observations, climate change, and maritime operations."
7th International Workshop on Ice-Drilling Technology, September 9-13, 2013 (Madison, WI). "The event is sponsored by the Ice Drilling Program Office- Ice Drilling Design and Operations (IDPO-IDDO), International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS), International Glaciological Society (IGS). Following in the footsteps of the six previous ice drilling technology workshops held between 1974 and 2006, the Seventh International workship on Ice Drilling Technology will take a comprehensive look a the latest innovations in ice drilling technology, including ice coring, borehole logging, subglacial sampling, core logging and handling, and field logistics."
Arctic Exchange, September 16-17, 2013 (Stockholm). "The Exchange brings an evolutionary concept in networking and business information delivery. The concept is designed to meet specific business objectives during two days for promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic communities addressing key issues such as sustainable business development and regional protection. As more and more data has confirmed that the Arctic is extremely rich in oil and gas reserves, locations such as Greenland and the Barents Sea have seen a huge growth in interest from the hydrocarbon industry. Despite the opportunities offered, there are many challenges that may hinder operations. The presence of cold temperatures, ice and a lack of infrastructure pose logistical problems that make exploration expensive and risky."
The 2013 Arctic Energy Summit, October 8-10, 2013 (Akureyri, Iceland). "The 2013 Arctic Energy Summit is a multidisciplinary event expected to draw together several hundred industry officials, scientists, academics, policymakers, energy professionals and community leaders to collaborate and share leading approaches on Arctic energy issues. Building on the work done at the highly successful 2007 Arctic Energy Summit and Technology Conference, the 2013 Summit will address energy extraction, production and transmission in the Arctic as it relates to three thematic areas: richness, resilience and responsibility. The 2013 Summit will be hosted by the Institute of the North in cooperation with local host Arctic Portal."
The Inaugural Meeting of The Arctic Circle, October 12-14, 2013 (Reykjavik, Iceland). "The inaugural Arctic Circle will be held October 12-14, 2013. Subsequent Arctic Circle gatherings will be held in a different Arctic location each year, so that participants can become familiar with the challenges, needs and opportunities presented by these unique environments. The agenda for the first Arctic Circle gathering will include plenary sessions with international leaders on emerging topics of interest, such as: Sea ice melt and extreme weather; Security in the Arctic; Fisheries and ecosystem management; Shipping and transportation infrastructure; Arctic Resources; and Tourism."
Workshop: Community Oil Spill Response in Bering and Anadyr Straits, November 7-8, 2013 (Anchorage, Alaska). "This workshop will bring together diverse stakeholders to learn more about and respond to community desires to be part of oil spill first-response efforts that help protect food security and other local resources; come to agreement on the multiple roles local community members can play in responding to oil spills; and create an action plan for moving forward on this topic. The workshop is sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society."
Arctic Cities, Global Processes, and Local Realities, December 2-4, 2013 (Rovaniemi, Finland). "The conference is organized jointly by the City of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, Finland. The goal of the conference is to present the latest scientific research and knowledge about the global processes as they become local realities. Even if the Conference is scientific in orientation, it aims to bridge science and knowledge into action by bringing top scholars to share their research results, and to organize joint discussion with the leaders of the Arctic Cities. Sessions include: Rovaniemi Process: past, present, future; Arctic responses to global environmental problems; people and extractive industries; tourism in the Arctic; the Arctic in global economy; climate change in the Arctic; indigenous peoples in cities; and, Arctic global flows. Cross-cutting themes include: Arctic cities and global processes; management and governance in the Arctic; and, Arctic together with non-Arctic."
International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, May 22-26, 2014 (Prince George, British Columbia). "The International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) announces the 8th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS VIII). ICASS is held every three years, bringing together people from all over the world to share ideas about social science research in the Arctic. ICASS VII, held in Akureyri in June 2011, attracted 450 participants from 30 different countries. ICASS VIII's theme is Northern Sustainabilities. By using the plural, we underscore both that "sustainability" has social, cultural, economic, political and environmental dimensions, and that definitions of the concept vary."
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