Arctic Oil

Biden's nod for oil lease sale may permit drilling in Alaska's Arctics

The Biden administration has approved plans for a sale of oil and gas leases in Alaska that leaves open the door for drilling in a portion of the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The sale will be held on January 9, less than two weeks before President Joe Biden leaves office. It will include a fraction of the land total that was available for bidding roughly four years ago in a sale held during the Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump pledged during his latest run for the White House to expand oil drilling in the US, and he's pointed to the passage of a 2017 law that enabled Monday's announcement as a highlight when it comes to Alaska policy. The 2017 law mandated two lease sales by late 2024, but major oil companies sat out the first sale. The Biden administration reviewed the leasing programme, and seven leases from the first sale ultimately were cancelled. Does this mean there will be drilling in the refuge? It's unclear. A lease sale is one step in a lon

Updated On : 10 Dec 2024 | 9:14 AM IST

More investments required in Arctic to keep up with Russia, China: Pentagon

The US Defense Department must invest more to upgrade sensors, communications and space-based technologies in the Arctic to keep pace with China and Russia who are increasingly operating there, including in joint military exercises, a new Pentagon strategy says. Saying that now is a critical time for the Arctic, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told reporters Monday that climate change, increased activity by adversaries and degrading US infrastructure are forcing the department to rethink how to keep the Arctic secure and ensure troops are well-equipped and protected. The Arctic strategy is short on specifics, but broadly pushes for greater spending on high-tech sensor and radar systems, a range of military equipment, and continued investment in Pituffik Space Base, the US Space Force base in the northwest corner of Greenland. And it relies on growing partnerships with Canada and a number of NATO allies in the north. Defense Department leaders have, for more than the past ...

Updated On : 23 Jul 2024 | 7:08 AM IST

Russia to invest $24 bn to develop Northern Sea Route: PM Mishustin

As part of this initiative, five meteorological satellites will be launched ahead of schedule this year to provide continuous surveillance and assistance across all Arctic routes, he added

Updated On : 07 Jun 2023 | 4:10 PM IST

Montreal Protocol of 1987 found to delay first ice-free Arctic summer

The Montreal Protocol of 1987, a global deal to protect the ozone layer, has been found to delay the first ice-free Arctic summer by up to 15 years, according to a new research. The deal, which was the first treaty to be ratified by every United Nations country, regulated nearly 100 man-made chemicals called ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) to preserve the ozone layer, which protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation. ODSs are compounds developed in the last century for industrial use as refrigerants and propellants. The researchers from University of California Santa Cruz (US), Columbia University (US) and the University of Exeter (UK) estimated that each 1,000 tonnes of ODS emissions prevented saves about seven square kilometres of Arctic sea ice. The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), showed that a reduction in the ODSs, which are also potent greenhouse gases, has slowed down global ..