Eye on the Arctic news round-up
A round-up of stories that made headlines across the North this week.
Canada
Activists for women’s rights claimed a major victory for aboriginal woman this week. A United Nations committee ruled against the government of Canada’s Northwest Territories after the territorial housing corporation let an aboriginal woman’s non-aboriginal, abusive husband have the family home in the community of Behchoko, Northwest Territories.
Finland
The Talvivaara mine in east Finland dominated headlines throughout the week. The mine produces nickel and cobalt and has plans to begin producing uranium. Some locals and environmentalists accuse the mine of polluting areas around their operations.
Greenland
A study of Greenland’s glaciers suggests they may not contribute as much to projected catastrophic sea levels as previously thought. Meanwhile, Inuit hunters travel to Copenhagen to protest a department store’s decision to stop selling seal products.
Norway
Norway’s long-awaited climate paper is released.
Russia
Talks advance between Russia’s two biggest oil companies over drilling in the Barents Sea.
Sweden
The Finnish icebreaker Nordica has been brought to Sweden after Greenpeace activists boarded the vessel to protest Arctic drilling near Alaska.
United States (Alaska)
A study by US Geological Survey shows polar bears and their cubs swim further and longer than was previously thought, suggesting the animal may be less prone to drowning than is sometimes portrayed in the media.
Write to Eilís Quinn at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca