Has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hindered Arctic science collaboration? EAC sub-committee to hear from leading academics
In its second evidence session on the UK and the Arctic environment, the Environmental Audit Committee’s sub-committee on polar research hears from academics on issues ranging from geopolitics, collaboration in Arctic science and commercial activity.
Meeting details
MPs will explore how global tensions with Russia are affecting Arctic research, particularly as the impacts of climate change are being felt most strongly in the Arctic. The Arctic has warmed three to four times faster than the world as a whole, and has been projected to be ice-free in the late summer as soon as the 2030s.
As a result of melting sea ice, new commercial opportunities are appearing such as the mining of minerals and new shipping routes. MPs will quiz experts on their views as to how the UK can promote sustainable Arctic commercial activities without further jeopardizing the environment.
On the second panel, MPs will hear from Maritime London and UK Fisheries on the impact a changing Arctic environment is having on fish stocks. The session will explore what the UK has to gain from the Arctic, while ensuring that commercial development is achieved in a way that is sustainable.