cross-posted from: lemmy.sdf.org/post/41836195
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As climate change accelerates, the once distant and frozen Arctic is transforming into a controversial industrial frontier. Nowhere is this tension clearer than along Russia’s Northern Sea Route (NSR). This emerging shipping corridor, running along Russia’s 6,000-kilometer Arctic coastline, is being touted by the Kremlin as a lucrative shortcut between Europe and Asia.
But as we illustrate in our new report, the rush to exploit this fragile environment threatens to turn the Arctic into another zone of sacrifice — one where delicate ecosystems are collateral damage in the hunt for hydrocarbons and geopolitical influence.
The Arctic is in a vicious cycle where the melting sea ice that makes the NSR more accessible jeopardizes the region’s unique biodiversity and climate stability. Russia’s ambitions to transform this route into a major trade artery — and to ramp up oil and gas extraction along its coastline — risk compounding the climate crisis while leaving Arctic ecosystems vulnerable to catastrophic pollution.
In 2024 alone, more than 84% of the cargo transported along the NSR was oil and gas. Fossil fuel extraction is the engine driving Russia’s Arctic strategy. The Kremlin shows no sign of slowing down, even amid its ongoing war in Ukraine and mounting international sanctions.
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Russia’s Arctic coastline spans half of the entire Arctic Ocean — a vast and fragile habitat for fish, marine mammals, and migratory birds. This region is not just a domestic matter; it is a global concern. Yet Russia’s environmental stewardship has lagged far behind its economic ambitions.
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