Author: Over the Circle

[Photo by Marc Lanteigne] by Marc Lanteigne Less than two years ago, speculation was swirling around the possibility of a dramatic shift in Norwegian energy policy, as the fossil fuel-rich nation appeared poised to downgrade its oil and gas development projects in favour of concentrating on renewable energy alternatives. The runup to the country’s parliamentary elections in September 2021… Continue reading The Black, the Blue and the Green: Norway’s Energy Dilemmas →

[Photo by Marc Lanteigne] by the OtC Staff On behalf of the editors, writers and contributors to Over the Circle, (and also Móri!), we wish everyone a very Happy Holidays, and a peaceful, safe and prosperous 2023! As the far north continues to grow in local and global importance, OtC looks forward to continuing our reporting… Continue reading Happy Holidays from Over the Circle! →

[Photo by Marc Lanteigne] by Marc Lanteigne This year’s Arctic Circle Assembly was a near-return to normal operations following previous postponements and restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the event could hardly be called ‘business-as-usual’, in the penumbra of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its global effects, including in the far north. Russian participation in the conference this year was almost non-existent,… Continue reading Arctic Circle 2022: The Outside World Keeps Walking In →

[Photo by Kristaps Grundsteins via Unsplash] Although the Polar Silk Road (bingshang sichou zhilu 冰上丝绸之路), which has been in development since 2017 and has since been incorporated into the China's greater Belt and Road Initiative, continues to be perceived as a challenge to the Arctic, in fact the PSR has experienced several obstacles in recent years. In a… Continue reading New Article: ‘The Rise (and Fall?) of the Polar Silk Road’ →

[Photo by Marc Lanteigne] by Marc Lanteigne The far north has long been considered a barometer for the measurement of global climate change, including via phenomenon such as higher average temperatures, wildfires at ever-higher latitudes, permafrost loss, and reduced ice coverage of the Arctic Ocean, as well as the melting ice sheet in Greenland. This summer, however, has shaped up to… Continue reading The Arctic in a Warming World →