Over the Circle

An Amber Light Ahead: Norway Prepares for the Arctic Council Chair

April 8, 2023April 9, 2023 Over the Circle

Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt speaking at the Arctic Frontiers Conference, Tromsø, January 2023 [Photo by David Jensen / Arctic Frontiers] by Marc Lanteigne In the coming weeks, Norway will be assuming the chair of the Arctic Council after a difficult, and unprecedented, year for the group. Since March 2022, the Council has been bifurcated, with… Continue reading An Amber Light Ahead: Norway Prepares for the Arctic Council Chair

The Black, the Blue and the Green: Norway’s Energy Dilemmas

January 9, 2023January 11, 2023 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

Happy Holidays from Over the Circle!

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022 Over the Circle

[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!

Arctic Circle 2022: The Outside World Keeps Walking In

October 23, 2022November 5, 2022 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

New Article: ‘The Rise (and Fall?) of the Polar Silk Road’

September 2, 2022September 2, 2022 Over the Circle

[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’