Climate change protesters exhibited their solidarity with residents of Clyde River against seismic testing in New York City in 2014.

Climate change protesters exhibited their solidarity with residents of Clyde River against seismic testing in New York City in 2014.
Photo Credit: Greenpeace/hand out photo

Seismic testing suspended in Arctic waters

Aboriginal groups in Canada’s northern Baffin Island are relieved that a consortium of energy companies has suspended plans for seismic testing in nearby waters. They are worried that the very loud noise projected into the water is harmful to the marine mammals that they live on.

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Indigenous communities on Baffin Island depend on marine mammals to sustain them. © CBC

Inuit community gets widespread support

The consortium had won approval to run five years of seismic tests from the government regulatory body, the National Energy Board. But the residents of Clyde River spearheaded a protest which was soon joined by all the indigenous communities on Baffin Island and many further away, as well as the territorial government’s wildlife management bodies. It was soon joined by other groups and individuals from around the world.

 The issue ‘resonating…around the world’

“It gives me hope because we’ve seen so much support come out for Clyde River in the last few months,” says Farrah Khan, an Arctic campaigner with Greenpeace Canada. “About 900 people live in this community and we’ve had over 40 organizations and over 300,000 individuals from all around the world sign on to statements and petitions in support of what Clyde River is doing.

“This issue is really resonating all across Canada and all around the world and I feel that with that support, they will be successful in the end.”

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As climate change melt the ice in Canada’s Arctic, more companies are seeking to exploit oil and gas deposits there. © CBC

Awaiting a judicial appeal

The residents of Clyde River have also launched a judicial appeal of the decision to grant permission for testing. A Federal Court of Appeal is expected to render a decision soon. If the appeal is lost, Khan says there will be a year to redouble other efforts to prevent the testing.

Other resource compannies watching

Companies, native groups and other interested parties are watching the case very closely. As climate change reduces the ice in the Arctic, resource companies are seeking to exploit oil and gas deposits there. Khan calls the resource “extreme oil” and thinks companies and governments underestimate the dangers of drilling in the north. Among them are the ice floes, inclement weather and darkness for much of the time. She thinks cleaning up an oil spill would be impossible.

Categories: Environment & Animal Life, Indigenous, Society
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