But not in the way you thought
For two decades, it has been predicted that climate change will open up the Arctic to economic development, leading to a race for resources. The region is supposed to be more accessible due to climate change. But is that true? In reality, many of the impacts of climate change make shipping, transportation and infrastructure development…
Life's tough for polar bears: climate is extreme, ice varies, food's scattered. Yet they persist
I recently had several encounters with polar bears in the Canadian Arctic at Coningham Bay on Prince of Wales Island, along the Nunavut coast. We had been advised that bears sometimes frequented this interesting area because Beluga whales often came here to moult and feed, and they are a plentiful and reliable source of food…
Sky watching isn’t as simple as looking at fluffy clouds
Watching the night sky has always fascinated people but daytime skies can be just as interesting. In July, I travelled to Nunavut as a ship naturalist on an expedition to northern Canada. I had the rare opportunity to explore parts of Baffin Island and Ungava Bay that few get to see. While I saw wonderful…
Everyone was on high alert, and while the crew sailed and fretted, we watched the parading wildlife
I left you last time off the coast of Baffin Island, where we shared the shore with polar bears and followed the tracks of early explorers. Let’s see what happened next on my 20-day journey northward. Nunavut was separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999, as a result of the enactment of the Nunavut Act…
Governments must address infrastructure deficiencies, protected area and land claim issues, and regulatory duplication
By Ashley Stedman and Elmira Aliakbari The Fraser Institute Mining investors are eyeing all three territories in Canada’s North, according to the Fraser Institute’s annual survey of mining companies. For the first time in more than five years, all three territories are among the top 15 most attractive regions for mining investment worldwide. But territorial…