In the new Svalbard white paper, the Norwegian government wants to facilitate international research on the archipelago while simultaneously clarifying Norwegian research leadership. Svalbard researcher Arild Moe says the white paper says the white paper affirms Norwegian jurisdiction on Svalbard.
Norwegian Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl presented the long-awaited Svalbard white paper at the end of May. And although the previous one came in 2016, an acceleration of the white paper was announced last year.
It was then highlighted that the world was changing, both geopolitically and environmentally, which again made a new Svalbard white paper necessary before 2026. […]
Svalbard researcher Tiril Vold Hansen from Nord University says to High North News that although the government argues that environmental concerns are key here, one can also interpret the measure geopolitically.
”One could also look at this as a measure to prevent foreign research actors from establishing themselves on Svalbard, thereby making it harder for other states to consolidate their presence on Svalbard and in the Arctic. Here, it is natural to highlight Russia’s announced plans to develop a research station and research cooperation with Brazil, India, China, and South Africa,” says the researcher. Läs artikel