Offshore Hydrocarbon: Current Policy Context in the Marine Arctic

Publication: Document
Citation: Koivurova, Timo and Kamrul Hossain 2008: Offshore hydrocarbon in the Arctic. Ecologic Institute.

This background paper, prepared by the Arctic Centre in September 2008 as part of the Arctic TRANSFORM project addresses the magnitude of current oil and gas activities in the offshore Arctic and outlines the potential environmental, social and economic consequences of the offshore hydrocarbon activities. It examines the international legal framework for offshore oil and gas activities in the Arctic, including transboundary environmental assessment of oil and gas activities and addresses the current policy context in offshore oil and gas activities in the Arctic. The background paper is available for download.

Offshore hydrocarbon activity in the Arctic marine area is on the rise. There are numerous reasons for this. It is estimated that the Arctic sea bed may hold almost one-fourth of the world's undiscovered oil and gas deposits. Due to global warming, sea ice in the Arctic is melting rapidly and thereby the Arctic waters are increasingly open for resource exploration and exploitation. Global demand for oil and gas is also increasing despite policy efforts to switch to more climate-friendly energy sources. This demand further increases the pressures to exploit the Arctic's hydrocarbon deposits. Furthermore, the progress in technology, ship design, the drilling gear and logistics have made the accessibility to Arctic waters easier than before for the purpose of offshore hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation. Offshore oil and gas activity may have potential adverse consequences on the local marine environment in the event of oil spills – spills, which can have direct or indirect social and economic impacts for the region.

Arctic Marine Governance

Opportunities for Transatlantic Cooperation

Year 2013

Publication:Policy Brief

The Arctic TRANSFORM project, funded by the European Commission's Directorate General of External Relations, engaged experts in a transatlantic discussion of five Arctic-related thematic areas: indigenous peoples, environmental governance, fisheries, offshore hydrocarbon activities, and shipping. Expert working groups addressed each thematic area with the goal of developing policy options for the Arctic marine area. This policy brief draws upon a series of background papers, expert meetings and interviews to provide an overview of the international and EU governance options for addressing the rapid changes underway in the region.

Transatlantic Policy Options for Supporting Adaptation in the Marine Arctic

Year 2009

Publication:Report

Current Arctic marine shipping is mainly intra-Arctic. Since 2000, there have only been a few trans-Arctic voyages in summer for science and tourism across the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route. The main consequence of climate change for Arctic marine shipping is contained in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA)'s key finding that "reduced sea ice is very likely to increase marine transport and access to resources". This background paper, prepared by Erik J. Molenaar and Robert Corell for the Arctic TRANSFORM project, focuses on intra-Arctic and trans-Arctic marine shipping in the Arctic marine area.

Arctic Shipping

Year 2009

Publication:Report

This background paper, prepared by Erik J. Molenaar and Robert Corell for the Arctic TRANSFORM project, focuses on fisheries that occur in the Arctic marine area, including fisheries for anadromous species that spawn in rivers that flow directly into the Arctic marine area. The paper follows a sectoral perspective, but in pursuance of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF). Due to this sectoral perspective, the focus will be exclusively on international instruments and intergovernmental and other relevant international bodies that relate to, or pursue, conservation as well as management. No attention will therefore be paid to those that focus exclusively on conservation of species and habitat by various means, including by the regulation of international trade.

Arctic Fisheries

Year 2009

Publication:Report

This policy analysis, prepared for the Arctic TRANSFORM project, provides a comparative analysis of EU and U.S. policy relevant to dealing with the effects of climate change in Arctic marine areas. Arctic marine governance at present is a patchwork of rules, measures and polices at various levels and institutions. A key question is how better co-ordination among the current sectoral and regional approaches can be achieved to address future governance needs. A second question is whether even better co-ordination among these approaches will suffice to meet these needs, or whether a more comprehensive approach is required. Addressing the unique challenges facing the marine Arctic could be an opportunity for both the EU and U.S. to revitalise their co-operation and show combined environmental leadership.

Comparative Policy Analysis

US, EU and Transatlantic Arctic Policy

Year 2009

Publication:Policy Brief

This policy brief draws upon a series of background papers, expert meetings, and interviews to provide an overview of the international and EU governance options for addressing the rapid changes underway in the region. While reflecting the opinions of its authors, this policy brief benefits from the opinions and insights of the experts participating in the five thematic working groups of Arctic TRANSFORM.

Transatlantic Policy Options for Supporting Adaptation in the Marine Arctic

Summary for Policy Makers

Year 2009

Publication:Document

The aim of this paper, prepared by the Arctic Centre in September 2008 as part of the Arctic TRANSFORM project, is to present the situation of the Arctic indigenous peoples in relation to the changing marine environment. The Arctic region is home to several groups of indigenous peoples (including Inupiat, Yup’ik and Aleut in Alaska, Inuit in Greenland and Canada, Saami in Fennoscandia and Russia and, Yup’ik, Chukchi, Even, Evenk and Nenets in Russia). Out of the total population of 4 million people in the Arctic, 10 % are indigenous. Climate change significantly impacts the traditional harvesting and other activities of indigenous peoples.

Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic

Year 2008

Publication:Document

This paper presents an overview of the existing institutional and legal framework relevant to environmental governance, as well as formal and informal governance structures in the Arctic marine area. It highlights the complexity of approaches applicable at the local, regional and international scales, rather than identifying gaps in governance at the sectoral scale. The background paper is available for download.

Environmental Governance in the Marine Arctic

Year 2008

Event:Conference

Arctic at Stake – Experts Call for Improvements in Governing Climate-change Adaptation

5 March 2009
Brussels, Belgium

Language: English
Authorship: Timo Koivurova (Arctic Centre)

Kamrul Hossain (Arctic Centre)
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General for External Relations (DG Relex), International
Year: 2008
Dimension: 43 pp.
Project: Transatlantic Policy Options for Supporting Adaptations in the Marine Arctic (Arctic TRANSFORM)
Project ID: 1913
Table of contents: Click to show full table of contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INTRODUCTION
2. OFFSHORE HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION IN THE ARCTIC
2.1. Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in the United States
2.2. Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in Russia
2.3. Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in Canada
2.4. Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in Norway
2.5. Offshore Oil and Gas Activities in Greenland
3. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES IN THE MARINE ARCTIC
3.1. Pollution from Oil Seeps and Oil Spills
3.2. Consequences of oil spills in Marine Arctic
Consequences for birds
Consequences for Fish
Consequences for marine mammals
3.3. Other physical disturbances connected to oil and gas activities
4. POTENTIAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES IN THE MARINE ARCTIC
5. LEGAL CONTEXT CONCERNING OFFSHORE HYDROCARBON ACTIVITIES
6. OFFSHORE HYDROCARBON AND TRANSBOUNDARY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
7. POLICY CONTEXT ADDRESSING ARCTIC OIL AND GAS ACTIVITY
8. CONCLUSION
9. REFERENCES OFFSHORE HYDROCARBON EXTRACTION
9.1. Literature and Articles
9.2. Scientific and governmental reports
9.3. Documents
9.4. Internet sources
Keywords: Arctic

Coastal + Marine

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

offshore hydrocarbon

Arctic