JRL NEWSWATCH: “An oil spill in Russia’s Arctic exposes risks for Moscow’s Far North plans” – Washington Post/ Isabelle Khurshudyan, Andrew Freedman

Map of Arctic Highlighting Permafrost, adapted from image at nasa.gov

“Thawing permafrost in the rapidly warming region leaves Moscow’s ambitious Arctic expansion proposals literally on shaky ground.”

“… [S]urg[ing] … climate change in interior Russia – more than three times the global average – is throwing new risks in the way of … Putin’s Far North agenda, among his top domestic initiatives. A key danger is … more infrastructure atop rapidly thawing permafrost …. As the permafrost destabilizes, so will … buildings, oil and gas pipelines, roads, railways, and military bases built on top of it …. what metals giant Norilsk Nickel claims happened … at its power station … 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Melting permafrost shifted the foundation and ruptured a fuel reservoir, sending 21,000 tons of diesel into a fragile ecosystem of rivers and wetlands. …”

Click here for: “An oil spill in Russia’s Arctic exposes risks for Moscow’s Far North plans; Thawing permafrost in the rapidly warming region leaves Moscow’s ambitious Arctic expansion proposals literally on shaky ground” – Washington Post/ Isabelle Khurshudyan, Andrew Freedman

   

[featured image is file image from earlier year]

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