It is important for Arctic Indigenous peoples to be heard at this crucial meeting, to help people understand why we need the Arctic to remain cool by reducing emissions from shipping and other sectors.
It’s not every day that elder Alaska Natives are heard and respected by leaders from around the world.
We would see an estimated 700% increase in shipping traffic in the Salish Sea. With it would come increased risks to fishing families, coastal communities and our marine wildlife.
Pollution threats from HFO tie into the very fiber of our lives — affecting our access to healthy wildlife for food and the quality of our lands.
The threat posed by heavy fuel oil in the Arctic is substantial. In fragile, ice-covered marine environments, use of this fuel by ships is a disaster waiting to happen.
Being part of the IMO process is integral for the health and wellbeing of our oceans. I am thankful for our partners and funders for helping to make a difference in the lives of Arctic communities, wildlife and the environment.
As someone with family and ancestral roots in the Arctic region who tries to inform their communities on such proposals, I was glad to be able to testify as a representative from Friends of the Earth.
Often we hear much talk about balancing economic and environmental concerns, and this idea -- which has widespread support -- is referred to as sustainable development. One of the places on earth where there has been substantial discussion of sustainable development is the Arctic. This is because the region contains abundant natural resources, such as oil, gas and minerals, that companies and governments are seeking to exploit. The region, as well, is seeing increasing amounts…
A group of kayakers is demanding that the Obama administration put an end to offshore oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean.
The "kayaktivists" will protest in front of the White House on Saturday. They are calling for President Obama to revoke oil and gas exploration leases in the Chukchi Sea, which surrounds Alaska.
'Kayaktivists' to protest offshore oil and gas drilling
-The Hill 7/15/2015
Shell Oil has spent many years and billions of dollars in the reckless pursuit of oil in the American Arctic Ocean. All that is standing in their way from starting exploratory drilling this summer is a few remaining permits from the federal government. Shell could not have gotten this far, however, without the help of the federal government, specifically, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management within the Department of the Interior. Despite the scientific unknowns…