The Norwegian government will allocate about 10 million kroner, which is over 1 million euros, to its Arctic Ocean exploration program.
The funds will go to GoNorth, a program to gain more knowledge about the Arctic Ocean. The program brings together scientists from several Norwegian universities and research centers, including the Norwegian Polar Institute, the University Center in Svalbard, the Nansen Center and the Arctic University of Norway. The research will be carried out by three expeditions, the first of which is to take place in October-November of 2022.
According to Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy Bjornar Skjaeran, GoNorth supports Norway’s position as an Arctic nation.
Matthias Forwick, a scientist from the Arctic University of Norway and one of the program leaders, said that ocean floor studies may provide additional data for combatting climate change. In particular, it may help in learning how the region reacted to earlier temperature changes and, for instance, to methane emissions.
The Government of Norway is preparing to issue licenses for oil and gas prospecting operations in little-studied Arctic areas.
The university of the Arctic will develop the program of the academic mobility for students of institutions of professional education from Russia and Norway which study reindeer breeding. The corresponding agreement is reached between the authorities of Yakutia and the University of the Arctic, the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the region Mikhail Prisyazhny has told.
The Norwegian scientists have shown the photo of the "dark" zone menacing to mankind which was formed on an ice board in Greenland. It consists of a dust layer and soot, writes the Science Alert edition.
District court of Oslo has rejected the claim international non-governmental the nature protection organization Greenpeace to the authorities of Norway with the requirement to stop drilling in the Arctic.
Five countries argue concerning territories in Arctic regions. They hope to get access to the minerals which are deeply under ice.
