Newsletter The Arctic Lives and Delivers
Heavy investments are currently scheduled for this decade in the High North, most of which are multi-billion projects. (Photo of Tromsø: Harry Jaschhof on Unsplash)
The High North is not just alive, it is viable. This week, we present a.o. a list of billion-high investments in the High North, while the High North Tour 2021’s mobile office rolls on towards space, future visions – and iconic fish balls.
Editor-in-Chief Arne O. Holm continues his winterly journey past non-plowed roads in Northern Norway, as he poetically puts it:
Arne O. Holm og bobilen. (Foto: Martin Losvik)
“Half-way through a winterly northern reporting journey, the contrasts are what makes the strongest impression on me. I move slowly between abandoned houses and high-tech industries. Between the international and the abandoned.“
Holm has this week parked his mobile office outside the amazing Andøya Space, where CEO Odd Roger Enoksen welcomed him into the future. We are literally talking rocket science: Will spend NOK 1 billion on Andøya Space!
And our Editor-in-Chief could of course not continue north without stopping by the factory of Vesteraalens AS – the home of the iconic Vesteraalens canned fish balls. Join Holm for a tour!
Tuesday 16 March was the Kven National Day, and our Editor-in-Chief joined a class at school in Skibotn, home of the famous Leonard Seppola from the serum run to Nome and subsequent Iditarod race, to learn a bit of Kven. At least a few words, that is.
Here are the northern investments
Heavy investments are currently scheduled for this decade in the High North, most of which are multi-billion projects. See the overview worked out by High North News!
In Svalbard, there are exciting things going on. Not only are local businesses receiving their state-scheme Corona support these days; on the tundra between the Longyearbyen coal power port and the airport is a drilling rig. It is to drill down to 200 meters below the ground in order to find out if the mountain is suited for storing heat energy, like a thermos.
Arctic strategies are all the rage
Arctic strategies are as popular as ever before.
The US Army recently presented its Arctic strategy and is a.o. planning to establish an operational headquarters with specially trained and equipped combat brigades.
And NORAD follows up, with its strategy highlighting changes in the Arctic.
"In today's changing geopolitical environment not to mention environmentally changing world, Canada and the US need to rethink continental defence,” says Director of the Center for Defense and Security Studies Andrea Charron.
All this, as well as other news, notices and analyses from the Arctic you can find at High North News.
Feel free to share our newsletter and tip us about good stories from the High North.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Trine Jonassen,
News Editor, High North News