Sino-Russian Backed Icebreakers Looks for LNGs in Arctic
“We will strongly support the multilateral forums where such discussions are held—including the G7, the G20, the OAS, APEC, the WTO, the WHO, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie, the Arctic Council, and of course NATO and the UN”
- Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland
Scenario:
As the price of natural gas rises, Russia sends icebreakers transporting drill rigs through the Northwest Passage with the intention of extracting liquified natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic seabed. The Canadian Rangers spot these icebreakers. It is revealed that at least part of the planning and/or funding for this trip is in partnership with China.
The Canadian government, in the past decade, have released official, comprehensive Arctic strategies that seek to guide the direction and focus of national policy surrounding Arctic issues. In 2009, the Harper government released Canada’s Northern Strategy: Our Heritage, Our Future that identified four priority areas: “exercising our Arctic sovereignty; promoting social and economic development; protecting the North’s environmental heritage; and improving and devolving northern governance”. [15] With the current Trudeau government, the official Canada’s Arctic Policy Framework is currently being produced under consultation from all levels of government, Indigenous groups, industry and other relevant stakeholders. Instead, a discussion guide for the in-progress framework is made available on the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada website. It identifies the Canadian government’s current Arctic priorities, which include “resource development, economic diversification, improved infrastructure and innovation in building strong territorial economies and increasing self-reliance”.[16]
Currently, opposition to the extraction of resources in the Arctic is largely based on its potential environmental impact. Environmental implications of extracting LNGs include:
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LNG production is viewed globally as less polluting than brown coal or petroleum
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Need for clearing forestry for processing facilities
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Claim that noise has an adverse effect on coastal marine life [17]
Environmental advocacy groups, such as Greenpeace, argue against the extraction of resources in the Arctic for three main reasons. First, Greenpeace suggests that the technological, environmental and economic risks of drilling in the Arctic are not worth it. Second, the organization claims that Indigenous communities, who have lived in the far North longer than any other group, should not be subject to this infringement on their communities. Third, they state that the diverse and unique ecosystem of the Arctic, home to 90 per cent of the world’s narwhal population should be protected. [18]
Current Resources
Indigenous communities, especially the Inuit peoples native to the Arctic regions, have voiced their concerns over the increasing number of ships travelling through the Northwest Passage. As commercial shipping, cruise tourism, and tankers in search for natural gas take advantage of the melting sea ice to traverse the Arctic, major concerns that arise include:
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Insecurity caused by large vessels travelling to or arriving at coastal communities unanticipated and/or unannounced
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Disruption of marine life through vessel-collisions and noise
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Threat of water pollution caused by oil spills that will negatively affect surrounding ecosystems vital to the livelihood of native Indigenous populations
Residents of coastal communities along the Northwest Passage (such as Cambridge Bay and Pond Inlet in Nunavut) have experienced foreign ships and small vessels arriving on their shorelines without prior notification, unexpected. [19] This has raised questions of security and personal safety. Many of these towns and villages (of which many have populations numbering just over one thousand) possess no border or customs services, with only a modest RCMP force available for physical protection.
Transparency and coordination must be two components of Arctic policy going forward. The presence of ships near shorelines produces loud noises and causes collisions with marine life, disrupting the behavioral patterns of surrounding species and ecosystems crucial for communities who rely on hunting and fishing for food. [20] Warming temperatures in the Arctic will increase shipping and tourism through the Northwest Passage. With a surge in traffic, the chances of accidents and oil spills will dramatically increase. Its effects can prove to be detrimental towards the livelihood and health of the Inuit populations, of whom rely on local sources for food and view the environment as a crucial part of their culture and traditions.
Sufficiency and Likely Objectives: Short Term Outcomes
Canada should continue to politicize the Arctic in order to generate public support for future policy decisions. Challenging society to promote it higher in its scale of value and to commit greater resources to the problem will allow for more effective long-term policies. [21] Insecurities felt by Canadians across the country concerning the Arctic must be dealt with as soon as possible. To stimulate national support and ideas to improve Canada’s Arctic territory, the government must continue to raise awareness of the issues at stake. [22] Furthermore, Canada’s approach must focus on the rights of peoples and the protection of the environment, in order to avoid emphasizing the role of force which privileges the state and institutions over Canadian citizens. [23] By doing so, the federal government will avoid marginalizing affected groups and citizens as a whole.
To strengthen Canadian jurisdiction and influence in the Arctic, the government should move towards making Canada an ‘intellectual’ and scientific world leader on the Arctic and related issues. This can be accomplished by investing in research and collaborating with Indigenous communities to combine scientific and traditional knowledge to gain a greater understanding of the region as a whole. The goal of this endeavour is to make Canada the most well-informed and invested in Arctic ecology, the location of natural resources and the environmental impacts of climate change, placing Canada in a position where other nations would need to consult our knowledge to maximize the Arctic’s economic potential.
Specifically, this includes the need to develop increased awareness of natural resources (including LNG) in the Canadian Arctic. Canada should therefore seek to invest in technologies and projects that can accurately map the locations of these resources. The scientific community has revealed there to be an abundance of raw materials, such as gold, copper, lithium, cobalt and bismuth, located in the Canadian Arctic that are yet to be discovered. [29] This could be used as a motivation for extractors such as Russia or China to work closely with Canada for economic interest. As a result, by cultivating Canada as the world leader in Arctic knowledge would place us in a favourable position to influence future international laws and actions governing the Arctic region. Furthermore, this exercise of global leadership would provide the opportunity for Canada to push our Arctic agenda on an international platform. It will also that ensure our commitments to protecting Canada’s Arctic communities and economic interests are heard and supported by specific aims that reinforce the cherished idea of Canada as a state that matters and upholds global governance practices, institutions and ideals.
Collaborating with Indigenous populations native to the region is key. Having lived in the Arctic for centuries, the Inuit peoples possess a greater understanding of Arctic ecosystems and the impact that climate change may have on the environment and their communities. Their traditional knowledge and expertise should be consulted to produce informed policy and Arctic decision-making. The current marine-management plan under development by the Canadian government and the Inuit peoples of Labrador set a good example. [30] This plan will outline policy related to “shipping, resource extraction, water quality, species management, conservation of historical sites and other matters important to the Inuit”. With the development of this plan, future investment and development opportunities in the region by private companies would be informed and constrained by the knowledge and recommendations of the Inuit peoples.
Canada must make the development and improvement of infrastructure and Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities top priorities in order to protect Arctic communities and its environment. At present, Canada is simply unprepared to adequately respond to disasters and accidents in the Arctic in a timely and effective manner. Search and Rescue (SAR) response in Canada’s territories rests under the jurisdiction of Joint Rescue Coordination Centres (JRCC) located in Halifax (NS), Trenton (ON), and Victoria (BC). [31] Should any minor or major disaster occur along the Northwest Passage, long-range helicopters with experienced SAR personnel and adequate equipment must be flown in from these bases or one located in Labrador. Such a journey, covering 2000 to 3000 kilometers, would take over a day to complete. [32] The lack of timely response can be the difference between life or death, or between the preservation or destruction of surrounding ecosystems. For this reason, Canada should invest in developing resources that enhance its ability to operate in the Arctic not only for security purposes, but to effectively respond to environmental disasters and accidents. This includes the establishment of a JRCC in the Arctic region and numerous SAR facilities along the Northwest Passage with trained personnel and the adequate equipment necessary to respond to any incident that may arise. Oil spill clean-up machinery must also be made readily available in the Arctic.
Canada is already looking into innovative surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, that seeks to enhance the ability to project force in the Arctic if required. [33] This can also be supported in the long term through sustained investments in the Canadian navy that ensure Canada will be able to maintain healthy personnel levels, as well as maintain naval assets such as Harry DeWolf-class vessels capable of effective participating in increasing operations in the Arctic. [34] A serious effort should be increasingly be made to ensure the Canadian Army and Air Force maintain their ability to rapidly deploy and sustain operations in the Arctic, capabilities that can periodically tested for effectiveness by simulated training scenarios such as Operation NANOOK, which can be incorporated into joint military exercises in the Arctic with allies. [35]
In order for Canada to be considered an emerging energy superpower and a powerful presence in the Arctic, the government must develop important links to other powers. [36] Canada should pursue a joint venture with Russia, arguably the most powerful actor in the region. Establishing a better economic relationship with Russia in the Arctic will allow Canada to be notified about boats coming into their waters and potentially assert influence over what environmental precautions should be taken with this venture.
Although Canada is a late entrant into the global LNG market, extracting from the East and West coasts, Canadian projects have advantages. Abundant natural gas as well as low-cost natural gas supplies are some benefits of the Canadian LNG market. [37] The main disadvantage facing Canada, namely the high cost to develop projects in remote locations, can be mitigated with a joint project. [38] Canada should pursue joint ventures with LNG buyers in Asia and Europe. China is projected to become the world’s second-largest LNG importer within the next year. [39] With this being said, Canada should continue to promote business with Chinese buyers. In November 2017, FortisBC sent its first shipment of LNGs to China in a pilot project. [40] Initiatives such as this example can be mimics to solidify trading relationships with China and benefit economically from LNG extraction in the Arctic.