Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security

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KET T Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) Telephone: + 47 222 40 000 ER RY M K Ø K J E L R I I Photo: Longyearbyen, Tommy Dahl Markussen M

0 Print: 07 PrintMedia AS 7 9 7 P 3 R 0 I 1 08/2017 – Impression 1000 N 4 TM 0 EDIA – 2 Svalbard 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 1 Svalbard

Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) Svalbard

Translation from Norwegian. For information only. Table of Contents

1 Summary ...... 5 6Longyearbyen ...... 39 1.1 A predictable Svalbard policy ...... 5 6.1 Introduction ...... 39 1.2 Contents of each chapter ...... 6 6.2 Areas for further development ..... 40 1.3 Full overview of measures ...... 8 6.2.1 Tourism: Longyearbyen and surrounding areas ...... 41 2Background ...... 11 6.2.2 Relocation of public-sector jobs .... 43 2.1 Introduction ...... 11 6.2.3 Port development ...... 44 2.2 Main policy objectives for Svalbard 11 6.2.4 Svalbard Science Centre ...... 45 2.3 Svalbard in general ...... 12 6.2.5 Land development in Longyearbyen ...... 46 3 Framework under international 6.2.6 Energy supply ...... 46 law ...... 17 6.2.7 Water supply ...... 47 3.1 Norwegian sovereignty ...... 17 6.3 Provision of services ...... 47 3.2 The Svalbard Treaty ...... 17 6.3.1 In general ...... 47 3.2.1 Introduction ...... 17 6.3.2 Cultural activity ...... 49 3.2.2 A history of the negotiations ...... 18 6.3.3 Health and welfare services ...... 49 3.2.3 Principles of interpretation ...... 19 6.3.4 Children and youth ...... 50 3.2.4 Geographical scope of application 20 6.3.5 Foreign nationals ...... 52 3.2.5 Treaty limitations on the exercise 6.4 Summary ...... 53 of authority ...... 20 3.2.6 Research ...... 22 7 Environmental protection ...... 54 3.3 International agreements ...... 22 7.1 Introduction ...... 54 3.3.1 EEA Agreement and Schengen 7.2 More on the environmental Agreement ...... 22 objectives for Svalbard ...... 56 3.3.2 WTO Agreement and GATT 7.3 Challenges and measures ...... 56 Agreement ...... 23 7.3.1 State of the environment ...... 56 3.3.3 Sanctions adopted by the UN 7.3.2 Current policy instruments ...... 56 Security Council ...... 23 7.3.3 The significance of climate change for environmental management ...... 57 4 Objectives, policy instruments, 7.3.4 Challenges related to traffic and other administration ...... 24 activity ...... 59 4.1 Key objectives ...... 24 7.3.5 Infrastructure development into 4.2 Policy instruments ...... 24 nature ...... 61 4.2.1 Legislation ...... 25 7.3.6 Pollution and waste ...... 61 4.2.2 State ownership in companies 7.3.7 New species ...... 62 and real property ...... 25 7.3.8 Environment and land-use 4.2.3 The Svalbard budget ...... 27 planning in the local communities 62 4.2.4 Administration ...... 28 7.3.9 Cultural heritage sites ...... 64 7.3.10 World Heritage ...... 65 5Legislation...... 32 7.3.11 Environmental management’s 5.1 Legislative principles ...... 32 need for knowledge ...... 66 5.2 Status of instituting legislation ...... 33 7.3.12 Environmental information ...... 68 5.3 Specific legislative issues ...... 34 7.4 Summary ...... 68 5.3.1 Welfare legislation ...... 34 5.3.2 Tax legislation ...... 35 8 Knowledge, research and 5.3.3 Immigration legislation, higher education ...... 69 nationality etc...... 36 8.1 Introduction ...... 69 5.3.4 Legislation on rejection and 8.2 Status and challenges ...... 70 expulsion ...... 36 8.2.1 Investments and increasing 5.3.5 Education Act and Kindergarten activity ...... 70 Act ...... 37 8.2.2 Stronger need for coordination .... 73 8.3 Policy instruments and measures 75 8.3.1 Further development of UNIS ...... 75 10.2 Key actors ...... 102 8.3.2 Improved quality and scientific 10.2.1 Governor of Svalbard ...... 102 leadership ...... 76 10.2.2 Longyearbyen Community 8.3.3 Clear Norwegian role as host ...... 78 Council ...... 103 8.3.4 Issues specific to Ny-Ålesund ...... 79 10.2.3 Longyearbyen Hospital ...... 105 8.4 Summary ...... 81 10.2.4 Svalbard Church ...... 105 10.3 Resources ...... 106 9 Economic activity ...... 83 10.3.1 Helicopter ...... 106 9.1 The business community in 10.3.2 Air ambulance ...... 106 Svalbard ...... 83 10.3.3 Service vessels ...... 106 9.2 Future economic development in 10.3.4 Norwegian Coast Guard ...... 106 Svalbard ...... 84 10.3.5 Longyearbyen Red Cross Search 9.2.1 Measures to strengthen activity and Rescue Corps ...... 107 and the business community in 10.4 Exercises ...... 107 Longyearbyen ...... 84 10.5 Specific issues ...... 109 9.3 Objectives and framework for 10.5.1 Flooding and avalanches ...... 109 future economic development ...... 85 10.5.2 Preparedness against acute 9.4 Economic activity in more detail .. 86 pollution ...... 110 9.4.1 The tourism industry ...... 86 10.5.3 Shipping and maritime safety ...... 111 9.4.2 Mineral activity ...... 89 10.5.4 Maritime safety measures in 9.4.3 Store Norske Spitsbergen Svalbard ...... 113 Kulkompani ...... 90 10.5.5 Aviation safety level ...... 115 9.4.4 Space activity ...... 93 10.6 Summary ...... 115 9.4.5 Electronic communications services ...... 95 11 Economic and administrative 9.4.6 Maritime activity ...... 96 consequences ...... 117 9.4.7 Fisheries activity ...... 97 11.1 Measures with limited or no 9.4.8 Air transport activity ...... 99 budgetary consequences ...... 117 9.4.9 Petroleum activity ...... 100 11.2 Measures proposed in the 9.5 Summary ...... 100 Revised National Budget for 2016 117 11.3 Major measures already begun .... 118 10 Civil protection, rescue and 11.4 Other measures ...... 118 emergency preparedness ...... 102 10.1 Introduction ...... 102 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 5 Svalbard

Svalbard Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper)

Recommendation of 11 May 2016 from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, approved in the Council of State the same day. (White paper from the Solberg Government)

1 Summary

1.1 A predictable Svalbard policy One of the key objectives of the Svalbard pol- icy is the maintenance of Norwegian communities In the past, comprehensive white papers on Sval- in the archipelago. This objective has been met in bard have been presented approximately every 10 large part through the Longyearbyen community. years. The white papers have each contributed to Coal mining, traditionally of great importance to guiding the archipelago’s development for a num- the community, has declined in significance in ber of years, and the comprehensive review pro- recent years, partly because many mining employ- cess has contributed to balanced development ees have been commuting between Svea and the within the framework established by the Svalbard mainland. Moreover, the challenging market for policy objectives. the coal business has led to a scale-back in opera- The overriding objectives of the Svalbard pol- tions. Provision will be made to suspend opera- icy are: tions at Svea and Lunckefjellgruva for up to three – Consistent and firm enforcement of sover- years, starting in 2017, and there is considerable eignty uncertainty as to whether operations will resume. – Proper observance to the Svalbard Treaty and Other forms of activity have grown, however, control to ensure compliance with the Treaty within such fields as research and higher educa- – Maintenance of peace and stability in the area tion, tourism, space-related activity and others. – Preservation of the area’s distinctive natural In this white paper the Government seeks to wilderness accommodate a variety of activities, both existing – Maintenance of Norwegian communities in the and new. Longyearbyen will in future remain a via- archipelago ble local community that is attractive to families. The community’s character, breadth of activity With this white paper, the Government confirms and variation must support the objective of main- that the overriding objectives of the Svalbard pol- taining Norwegian communities in the archipel- icy remain unchanged. Continuity and predictabil- ago. At the same time, Longyearbyen is suffering ity will remain key aspects of the policy. Predicta- the effects of the avalanche that struck the com- ble administration of Svalbard in line with these munity on 19 December 2015. The disaster mobi- objectives provides security for the population lised the entire community, and a major effort was while enhancing stability and predictability in the undertaken to save lives and care for everyone region. affected. The avalanche heightened the urgency of working to free up land in the central commu- 6 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard nity for residential use. A coordinated, climate- work applied in Svalbard should be as similar as appropriate approach to land-use planning in possible to that of the mainland, and it describes Longyearbyen will have positive effects for the the status of the introduction of legislation not pre- Longyearbyen community while facilitating desir- viously put into application. The chapter also deals able economic development. with areas of law that are especially important to The Government therefore wishes to use this community development. It provides a discussion white paper to facilitate further development of of additional legislative work within the field of the Longyearbyen community. In the estimated business and company law and of the need to clar- accounts for the 2015 central government budget, ify parts of the Longyearbyen Community Coun- the Storting approved a proposal by the Govern- cil’s framework of commitments in childhood and ment to allocate NOK 50 million to encourage welfare policy. greater activity in Longyearbyen in both the short A major topic in this white paper is the further and the long terms. After the proposal was made development of the Longyearbyen community. to suspend operations at Svea and Lunckefjell- This is covered in Chapter 6. gruva and introduce double shifts at Mine 7, the One of the objectives of the Svalbard policy is Government has also continued to provide for maintaining Norwegian communities in the archi- Longyearbyen’s maintenance, development and pelago. This objective is pursued through the restructuring in a way supportive of the overrid- community of families in Longyearbyen. Long- ing objectives of Norwegian Svalbard policy. This yearbyen is not a ‘cradle to grave’ community, and measure, combined with the other measures there are clear limits to the services that should announced in this report, should contribute to the be made available. Within these limits – which are continued viability of the community. reflected by the archipelago’s low level of taxation The Government will in any case continually and the fact that the Norwegian Immigration Act assess the need for measures to help ensure that does not apply here – the Government wants the Longyearbyen community develops in accord- Longyearbyen to remain a viable local community ance with the Svalbard policy, including the objec- that is attractive to families and helps to achieve tive of maintaining Norwegian communities in the and sustain the overriding objectives of the Sval- archipelago. The avalanche disaster has also bard policy. shown that the necessity of ensuring that Sval- Tourism is important for employment in Long- bard’s infrastructure can accommodate the present yearbyen, and the Government will facilitate more level of activity outweighs the introduction of new local jobs in this industry. Steps will be taken to activities that might trigger large investment needs. make Longyearbyen and the areas surrounding inhabitated locations (Management Area 10) more attractive for tourism. In addition, the alloca- 1.2 Contents of each chapter tion to Innovation Norway in 2015 will strengthen the foundations of a wide-ranging and diverse Chapters 2–4 provide a general introduction to the business community in the long term. chapters whose policy focus is defined by sector; The allocation to preparations for a suspension they also describe historical, legal and administra- of operations at Svea and Lunckefjellgruva tive matters pertaining to Svalbard. The main pol- improves the restructuring framework. The icy thrust of these chapters is an affirmation that option is retained to continue operations at these the overriding objectives of Svalbard policy sites if coal prices suggest profitability. Mean- remain unchanged. The Svalbard policy will con- while, the allocation to the Longyearbyen Com- tinue to be characterised by continuity and pre- munity Council in the estimated accounts for the dictability. 2015 central government budget will bolster infra- The background for this white paper is structure maintenance in Longyearbyen while described in detail in Chapter 2, and the interna- creating jobs in the construction sector. tional legal framework is reviewed in Chapter 3. The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) The key objectives of the Svalbard policy, the pol- is currently working on a conceptual study that icy instruments available to the state to achieve will form the basis for further work to develop these objectives and the administrative system are new port infrastructure in Longyearbyen. Strong the subject of Chapter 4. national interests are tied to ownership in this Chapter 5 describes principles applicable to type of infrastructure. When the study is com- legislation relating to Svalbard. The chapter plete, the Government will address the way ahead states, among other things, that the legal frame- in developing Longyearbyen’s port infrastructure. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 7 Svalbard

The Government is not inclined to facilitate tections. An important objective is also to adapt the establishment of activities that require sub- management procedures to the rapid changes in stantial infrastructure investment, but will support climatic and environmental conditions that Sval- community development in Longyearbyen that bard is facing. For the sake of users and the envi- entails developing the economy in line with Sval- ronment alike, it is important to act comprehen- bard policy objectives. Relocation of public sector sively in the management of the areas surround- jobs to Longyearbyen will also be considered. ing inhabitated locations where activity and traffic Environmental protection is discussed in are expected to increase the most. In Manage- Chapter 7. Preservation of Svalbard’s natural envi- ment Area 10, therefore, management plans will ronment is a long-term policy objective, and pre- be drawn up that include both protected and serving the archipelago’s distinctive natural wil- unprotected areas. derness is one of the overriding objectives of Nor- Knowledge, research and higher education wegian Svalbard policy. Svalbard’s natural and cul- are the topic of Chapter 8. Svalbard is an impor- tural heritage is important internationally, and tant platform for Norwegian and international Norway has a special responsibility to preserve it. research, higher education and environmental At a time when restructuring and new indus- monitoring. Research and instruction are of major tries and activities are needed in Longyearbyen, importance to Norwegian activity and presence in tourism, research and higher education stand out Svalbard. The Government will develop an overall as obvious activities for expansion. Environmental strategy for research and higher education in regulations and environmental objectives deter- Svalbard. mine the frameworks of all activity in Svalbard. The research community in Ny-Ålesund will Within these frameworks, however, there is lati- be further developed as a platform for interna- tude for additional activity related to tourism, tional scientific collaboration in which Norway research and higher education. It is important has a clear role as host and will lead relevant areas that such opportunities be pursued in a way that of research. To help foster such development, provides sound, predictable framework conditions changes will be made to the organisation and for the activity in question. In dialogue with the operation of Ny-Ålesund’s research activities. relevant actors in Svalbard, the environmental Chapter 9 of the white paper concerns eco- authorities will now take coordinated action to bet- nomic activity. It is important that the business ter facilitate tourism in the zone known as Man- community’s value creation occur within the over- agement Area 10, which includes the Isfjorden all objectives and frameworks of the Svalbard pol- area and areas surrounding the inhabitated loca- icy. Responsible and sustainable use of Svalbard’s tions. With this in mind, an early phase of this unique natural environment is an important condi- work will be initiated as soon as possible, ensuring tion for restructuring and investing in economic a comprehensive approach to both the construc- development. tion of new commercial tourist cabins and the use To help bring about an economic boost in Sval- of temporary facilities for the tourism industry in bard, the estimated accounts for 2015 facilitated a winter. The same applies to accommodating ves- strengthening of development in the business sel disembarkation at selected locations in the community. The funds provided will help rein- Isfjorden area and better framework conditions force economic development efforts undertaken for non-motorised tourism products such as ski by the Longyearbyen Community Council, the and dogsled trips. Svalbard Business Council and the range of The Government is committed to comprehen- national instruments supporting business and sive management frameworks in which different industry. Innovation Norway’s long experience types of traffic and activity are seen in context, with regional restructuring and promoting eco- both within and outside of Svalbard’s protected nomic development will be called upon to boost areas. This is a necessary approach if the travel economic development efforts in Svalbard. A for- industry and the research community are to enjoy ward-looking strategy for business and innovation predictable framework conditions without causing will also be devised. Based on recent experience undue impact on the natural environment. To and on Svalbard’s position as a unique and excit- achieve such comprehensive management, the ing destination, the opportunities for developing Government will continue work on management new jobs in tourism are thought to be particularly plans for the protected areas in Svalbard. These promising. The Government will provide frame- plans will facilitate activity in accordance with the work conditions for sustainable growth in the purpose and provisions of the environmental pro- tourism industry. 8 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Svalbard’s geographical location is also ideal – Further develop the Longyearbyen commu- for space activity, including atmospheric research nity, where the need for various types of devel- and satellite data reception. The Government is opment is under continual assessment. concerned that Norwegian actors in the space – Facilitate continued development of existing sector should take full advantage of Svalbard’s activities such as tourism, research and higher location and capacities, which provide competitive education, as well as broad and varied eco- advantages in space-related science, innovation nomic activity. and economic development. – Facilitate employment and restructuring in Chapter 10 deals with civil protection, rescue Longyearbyen, using funds provided in the and emergency preparedness. The chapter estimated accounts for 2015. describes how civil protection and emergency – Strengthen economic development efforts response efforts are organised in Svalbard, includ- under the auspices of the Longyearbyen Com- ing the roles and responsibilities involved. It also munity Council and relevant national policy provides a discussion of available resources and instruments in cooperation with existing busi- specific challenges that require attention. ness interests in Longyearbyen, using funds It is important to the Government that people provided in the estimated accounts for 2015. feel secure where they live and in the community – Facilitate further development of existing and at large. The Directorate for Civil Protection and new industries within the overriding objectives Emergency Planning, assisted by the Norwegian of the Svalbard policy. Police University College and the Joint Rescue – Facilitate conditions for the development of a Coordination Centre, will carry out an assess- more diversified business community. Prefera- ment in the aftermath of the avalanche that bly, the new jobs should be stable, year-round struck Longyearbyen on 19 December 2015. Any and commercially profitable. findings will be followed up by the Government – Facilitate development of a new, forward-look- in an appropriate manner. In 2016, the Norwe- ing business and innovation strategy for Sval- gian Water Resources and Energy Directorate bard. (NVE) will prioritise surveys of flood and ava- – Continuously assess the need for restructuring lanche dangers in Svalbard. NVE has also com- and economic development measures that sup- pleted a pilot avalanche-warning project, which port the Svalbard policy objectives. will be evaluated in 2016 and followed up in con- – Facilitate the possibility of maintaining some sultation with the Longyearbyen Community activity in Svea during a restructuring period Council. for Longyearbyen, while the mining operations Emergency preparedness should correspond in Svea and Lunckefjell are suspended. to the activities occurring in the archipelago, and – Assess the situation for continued operations the question of scale will be assessed continually. by Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS Responding to large or simultaneous events will in (SNSK) in light of developments in the price any case require assistance from the mainland. To and market outlook for coal. improve safety at sea, efforts will be undertaken – Administer ownership in SNSK so that it con- to ensure effective implementation of the Polar tributes to Longyearbyen’s community in a way Code. Work will also continue on the charting of that supports the overriding objectives of the important maritime areas around Svalbard, and Svalbard policy. land-based AIS stations will be established in Sval- – Assess future development and activity in Svea bard to ensure more effective traffic monitoring. in light of the state’s role as landowner and Other navigation infrastructure in Svalbard will infrastructure owner. also be modernised. – Continue efforts to facilitate development of sound infrastructure in Svalbard, including energy and water supply. 1.3 Full overview of measures – Strengthen the Longyearbyen community by increasing funding for housing and land devel- The Government will: opment in Longyearbyen by NOK 10 million. – Seek to maintain Longyearbyen as a viable – Decide on further work to develop port infra- local community that attracts families and structure in Longyearbyen once the Norwe- helps fulfil and support the overriding objec- gian Coastal Administration’s conceptual study tives of the Svalbard policy. is completed. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 9 Svalbard

– Ensure sound, predictable framework condi- protections and safeguarding the natural and tions that provide a basis for growth in the tour- cultural heritage assets. ism industry, by facilitating development of – Facilitate in finding solutions for areas that are tourism products. becoming more vulnerable to human traffic as – In close consultation with tourism operators, a result of a warmer climate and retreating sea take coordinated action to better facilitate tour- ice. The environmental management authori- ism in Management Area 10, which includes ties have circulated for public consultation a the Isfjorden area and areas surrounding the proposal to expand the area where visitors can inhabitated locations. operate snowmobiles when participating in – Ensure a comprehensive and environmentally organised tours or when accompanied by per- responsible approach to the construction of manent residents. Secure natural assets and commercial tourist cabins and the use of tem- cultural heritage sites located near inhabitated porary facilities for tourism in winter. locations and important for tourism, recreation – Improve knowledge about the Isfjorden area’s and the local population. To this end, work will vulnerability to human traffic, and on that basis be initiated to assess the need for greater pro- consider measures to facilitate vessel disem- tection of areas in lower Adventdalen, where barkation at selected locations. bird life is especially abundant. – Improve the framework for non-motorised – Maintain and develop the University Centre in tourism products such as ski and dogsled trips. Svalbard (UNIS) as a unique institution for uni- – Facilitate conditions for the seafood industry in versity-level studies and research on Svalbard, connection with local food and tourism. with a range of academic programmes and – Facilitate opportunities for the Northern Nor- research activities that capitalise on the natural way Art Museum to consider establishing an advantages of the location. Facilitate further artist residence/guest studio for visiting art- cooperation between UNIS and mainland uni- ists. versities to make the most of UNIS’s potential, – Further develop Visit Svalbard as a developer to satisfy the requirement that 50 per cent of of tourism in Svalbard, and Visit Svalbard’s students come from Norwegian institutions, coordinating role in the tourism industry. and to improve predictability for both UNIS – Consider facilitating closer contact between and the universities. the Governor of Svalbard and the local tourism – Continue the focus on polar research and the community by redirecting resources for this special emphasis on Svalbard research, in purpose. order to help strengthen the volume and qual- – Consider relocating public sector jobs to Sval- ity of Norwegian research in Svalbard. bard to help achieve the objective of maintain- – Consider possible measures to encourage Nor- ing Norwegian communities in the archipel- wegian scientists to take advantage of the ago. research opportunities available in Ny- – Facilitate space activity as part of the future Ålesund. economic base in Svalbard. – Facilitate increased international cooperation – Assess the need and possibility of a satellite- through bilateral and multilateral arrange- based communications system in the High ments. Horizon 2020 also advertises funding North. for Arctic research. The general policy instru- – Revise the regulations governing the establish- ments available through the Research Council ment and operation of satellite ground stations of Norway, including those that encourage in Svalbard. Norwegian participation in Horizon 2020, will – Continue work on management plans that facil- contribute to this. itate further development of activities such as – Conduct a review of research on Svalbard and tourism, research and higher education. consider how policy instruments can be Ensure that management plans are drawn up directed with even greater effect towards both for areas surrounding the inhabitated locations increasing Norwegian Svalbard research and (Management Area 10), including both pro- encouraging the international research com- tected and unprotected areas. Ensure that use munity to cite such research. of the protected areas is facilitated and man- – Develop an overall strategy for research and aged in such a way as to permit the best possi- higher education in Svalbard. The Research ble visitor experience while at the same time Council of Norway will have responsibility for increasing respect and understanding for the preparing a strategy proposal on the basis of a 10 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

wide-ranging process. Central government – Transfer responsibility for managing the authorities, the Governor of Svalbard, the busi- state’s ownership of Kings Bay AS from the ness community and all research and higher Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to education organisations in Svalbard will be the Ministry of Climate and Environment with involved. The Research Council will also have effect from 1 January 2017. The purpose is to primary responsibility for evaluating the strat- coordinate implementation of the research egy’s implementation. strategy with operation and development of Ny- – Facilitate formal establishment of the Svalbard Ålesund. Responsibility for managing the Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System state’s ownership of Bjørnøen AS, which is (SIOS) in 2016. As the host of SIOS, Norway administratively subordinate to Kings Bay AS, will help cover a significant share of the will also be transferred simultaneously from expenses. The participating institutions are the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries also expected to contribute through member- to the Ministry of Climate and Environment. ship fees and other resources. – Continuously assess emergency preparedness – Further develop the Svalbard Science Forum in Svalbard in light of the activities carried out (SSF) and the Research Council of Norway’s in the archipelago and changes in risk level. office in Longyearbyen. Objectives, tasks and – Respond appropriately to any findings by the roles will be updated in a new revision of the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emer- mandate. The Research Council’s stimulus gency Planning in its assessment following the funding and support programmes related to avalanche on 19 December 2015. SSF will be designed in line with the priorities – Survey flood and avalanche risks in Longyear- in the strategy. byen in 2016, through the Norwegian Water – Strengthen coordination in Ny-Ålesund Resources and Energy Directorate. through the development of a research strat- – Work nationally and internationally to ensure egy for Ny-Ålesund by spring 2017. The effective implementation of the regulations on research strategy for Ny-Ålesund should be sailing in polar regions (the Polar Code). seen in the context of the overall strategy for – Continually assess measures to reduce the risk research and higher education in Svalbard and of undesirable maritime transport incidents in should support Norway’s role as host and its Svalbard. research policy in Svalbard. The Research – Continue the work of charting important mari- Council of Norway will have responsibility for time areas around Svalbard. drawing up a strategy in cooperation with the – Work towards establishing good communica- relevant actors, research bodies and minis- tion systems for the northern marine areas. tries. – Further develop and modernise Svalbard’s – Give the Norwegian Polar Institute responsibil- existing navigation infrastructure to optimise ity for operational implementation and monitor- risk reduction and lower operating and mainte- ing of the research strategy in Ny-Ålesund. In nance costs. order to appropriately follow up the strategy – Develop land-based AIS base stations in the activities in Ny-Ålesund, regular dialogue will busiest areas of Svalbard to strengthen mari- be established between the Research Council, time traffic monitoring. the Norwegian Polar Institute, Kings Bay and the ministries involved. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 11 Svalbard

2 Background

2.1 Introduction overall condition for restructuring and, not least, for developing nature-based tourism. As the Gov- In the past, comprehensive white papers on Sval- ernment had proposed, the Storting allocated bard have been presented approximately every 10 NOK 50 million in the estimated accounts for the years. The white papers have each contributed to 2015 central government budget for restructuring guiding the archipelago’s development for a num- measures to develop Longyearbyen and pave the ber of years, and the comprehensive review pro- way for new businesses and new jobs. This white cess has contributed to balanced development paper points out additional actions to be taken to within the framework established by the Svalbard facilitate further development of the Longyear- policy objectives. byen community within the framework of applica- The overriding objectives of the Svalbard pol- ble objectives and regulations. The Government icy have been unchanged for many years, and has objectives and visions for Svalbard’s develop- remain so. One objective is the maintenance of ment and, with this white paper, intends to point Norwegian communities in the archipelago, an the way forward. Research and higher education objective satisfied in large part through the com- constitute one of the main priorities in Svalbard. munity of Longyearbyen. Coal mining, tradition- This activity is part of the national policy on ally of great importance to this community, has knowledge and learning. Research and higher declined in significance in recent years. In the education in Svalbard are also an important part meantime, activities in research and higher educa- of the Svalbard policy, contributing to the fulfil- tion, tourism, space and other business areas have ment of overriding Svalbard policy objectives emerged. such as maintaining Norwegian communities in The work of restructuring Longyearbyen has the archipelago. During the Storting’s considera- proceeded for a long time. In the early 1990s, tion of the previous white paper on Svalbard it was Longyearbyen was described as a ‘one-industry determined that Svalbard should be developed town’. Ten years later it was arguably no longer further as a platform for international research, valid to regard Longyearbyen as fully dependent higher education and environmental monitoring. on one industry. During consideration of Report Many of the objectives set during the Storting’s No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard (see consideration of that white paper have now been also Recommendation No. 336 S (2008–2009)), attained. A number of challenges have arisen, one of the intentions signalled was to focus on however, with regard to facilitating research activ- Longyearbyen’s existing activities as well as a vari- ities in the archipelago. By means of this white ety of new ones within the Svalbard policy frame- paper the Government intends to pave the way for work. Since then, work has also proceeded locally continued progress on the successes achieved on plans for continued development. while rising to meet the challenges with targeted The recent challenging market situation for measures. coal heightens the need for further community development in line with the objectives of the Sval- bard policy. Over time, a broader and more diver- 2.2 Main policy objectives for Svalbard sified business community has evolved in Sval- bard. This has expanded opportunities to foster The previous white paper on Svalbard was consid- sustainable businesses and profitable jobs in sev- ered by the Storting in 2009. The Government’s eral industries. Among the Government’s priori- submission of the present white paper after a ties will be to facilitate new jobs in tourism. Appro- shorter time interval than usual is related in par- priate and sustainable use of Svalbard’s unique ticular to the need to provide direction for the fur- natural surroundings in keeping with environ- ther development of the community in Longyear- mental objectives and regulations is an important byen. 12 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

The white paper sets out the Government’s fore facilitate additional development in the Long- objectives and ambitions, which are anchored in yearbyen community. New jobs in tourism and Storting processes. Practical implementation is other business and industrial activities will be carried out through specific measures and important to achieving this. through the day-to-day administration of Svalbard. Like previous white papers on Svalbard, this Svalbard policy extends across various policy one will describe objectives, challenges and possi- areas, all framed by common objectives. The over- ble measures for Svalbard, meaning the area riding objectives of this policy are: within the Svalbard Treaty’s scope of application, – Consistent and firm enforcement of sover- which is the territory and the territorial sea eignty extending 12 nautical miles from the baselines. – Proper observance to the Svalbard Treaty and This is also the jurisdictional area of the Governor control to ensure compliance with the Treaty of Svalbard and the Svalbard budget. – Maintenance of peace and stability in the area – Preservation of the area’s distinctive natural wilderness 2.3 Svalbard in general – Maintenance of Norwegian communities in the archipelago Svalbard is the northernmost part of Norway and is the name of an archipelago comprising Spits- There is broad political support for these objec- bergen, Prins Karls Forland, Nordaustlandet, tives, which were formulated in the 1980s and Kong Karls Land, Barentsøya, Edgeøya, Hopen, have remained firmly in place since then. Oppor- Bjørnøya and all the islets and skerries within the tunities and challenges must be assessed within coordinates 10° and 35° E longitude and 74° and the framework of the objectives. Comprehensive 81° N latitude. With a land area of 6 1,022 km2, reviews in the form of white papers on Svalbard Svalbard constitutes about 16 per cent of the King- are traditionally seen as the best way of achieving dom of Norway’s total land area. Spitsbergen is stable, long-term management. the largest island in Norway, at about the size of The situation in the High North and Svalbard Nordland and Troms counties combined. is characterised by stability and cooperation. All Approximately 60 per cent of the archipelago the same, one recognises that the region faces is covered by glaciers and less than 10 per cent changes associated with climate, demand for natu- contains vegetation. The largest fjord is Isfjorden ral resources and the use of marine areas. The and the highest peak is Newtontoppen (1,713 m policy in Svalbard is characterised by a long-term above sea level). Svalbard is surrounded by shal- perspective, continuity and predictability, and its low seas. A continuous continental shelf extends objectives are intended to help ensure that High north from Mainland-Norway and beyond Sval- North development occurs in a peaceful manner. bard. Svalbard has a High Arctic climate. Because The overriding policy objectives for Svalbard are of the Gulf Stream, Svalbard has a relatively mild firmly grounded in national interests and atti- climate compared to other regions at the same lat- tudes. These objectives are also consistent with itude. For the same reason, the archipelago’s bird international law, and therefore help satisfy inter- and animal life is extremely abundant compared national expectations placed on Norway. to other High Arctic areas. Through history, various activities have laid Svalbard was discovered by the Dutchman the groundwork for our presence in Svalbard and Willem Barents in 1596. Norwegian sovereignty Longyearbyen in particular. Coal-mining opera- over Svalbard was recognised through the Sval- tions at Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS bard Treaty, which was signed on 9 February (SNSK) have long accounted for many of the jobs 1920 in Paris. Since the entry into force of Nor- in Longyearbyen. In recent years, the mining way’s Svalbard Act, on 4 August 1925, Svalbard company’s importance to the community has has been part of the Kingdom of Norway. Hunting gradually declined, with operations focused and fishing, research, and various forms of mining mainly in the Svea area and many employees now distinguish much of Svalbard’s history. Many commuting between Sveagruva and the mainland. traces of these activities are now protected as a A reduction in the company’s activity has no bear- part of Svalbard’s unique cultural heritage. Tradi- ing on Norway’s sovereignty over the archipelago tionally, Svalbard’s local communities have been or on the country’s exercise of authority. The Gov- based on coal mining. There is also a long tradi- ernment is nevertheless determined to maintain a tion of tourism in Svalbard. Modern-day tourism strong presence in the archipelago, and will there- arose in earnest in the 1990s. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 13 Svalbard

Figure 2.1 Svalbard. Map: Norwegian Polar Institute

Most of Svalbard consists of vast and pristine There are no roads between the inhabitated wilderness areas. In all, 65 per cent of the land locations in Svalbard. Sveagruva and Ny-Ålesund area and 87 per cent of the territorial sea are pro- have an airstrip with flight connections to and tected. Only seven locations are inhabited or are from Longyearbyen. A helicopter is stationed in sites of permanent activity or industry. These loca- Barentsburg. In winter, snowmobile travel tions vary greatly in character and size. Svalbard between inhabitated locations is common, as is is one of the most sparsely populated areas in the boat travel in summer. world. 14 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Box 2.1 Statistics Norway’s work to strengthen official statistics regarding Svalbard Statistics Norway has worked to develop and From 2016, the Longyearbyen Community strengthen statistics about life and social devel- Council is represented with figures of its own in opment in Svalbard for 25 years, but the effort the Municipality-State-Reporting system has been formalised and incorporated into the (KOSTRA), which provides statistics on agency’s overall work programme with special resource use, priorities and goal attainment. In focus since 2007, when the Statistics Act was addition, a biennial publication called This is made applicable to Svalbard. Svalbard describes life and society in Svalbard The base of statistical data on Svalbard is in a broad and accessible way, using statistics as growing steadily, and a number of recurrent sta- its basis. In Statistics Norway’s classification tistical products have been created for Svalbard system, moreover, Svalbard is given separate in isolation, or for Svalbard as a separate region treatment. All the relevant Svalbard statistics in regionally compiled statistics. Statistics Nor- that the agency puts out are accessible at: way has focused in particular on the use of regis- http://www.ssb.no/svalbard. try sources that include Svalbard, so as to pro- The users of the Svalbard statistical data are duce statistics comparable to those of the main- to a large extent either central government land and satisfy international standards and administrators or local authorities in Svalbard. quality requirements. Statistics generated spe- Others include media representatives, research- cifically for Svalbard include population statis- ers and students. User needs are identified in tics, business and industry statistics, and statis- large part through a consultative committee on tics regarding the public sector in Svalbard. Svalbard statistics.

Council was established on 1 January 2002. The Longyearbyen council’s responsibilities and tasks can be com- As the administrative centre and hub for most pared in broad terms to those of a municipality on activity in the archipelago, Longyearbyen is the the mainland, and its jurisdiction is limited to the largest inhabitated location in Svalbard. As of 1 Longyearbyen planning area. Section 31 of the April 2016, 2,130 people were registered as resi- Svalbard Act specifies that the Longyearbyen dents of Longyearbyen. In the mining and con- Community Council may only engage in activities struction sectors, however, many employees com- of general interest related to Longyearbyen and mute to and from the mainland. Many of these not addressed by the state. In addition, the state- commuters actually spend their time in Svalbard ment of purpose in Section 29 of the Svalbard Act in Svea, not in Longyearbyen. The true number of indicates that the Longyearbyen Community Longyearbyen residents is therefore lower than Council must conduct its activities ‘within the the population registry suggests. framework of Norwegian Svalbard policy’. Longyearbyen was founded in 1906 by the From its early reliance on a single industry – American John M. Longyear. Its origins are tied to coal mining – Longyearbyen’s economic base has coal extraction from resources nearby. In 1916, now diversified to include a variety of activities in Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS tourism and education and research. The clear (SNSK) bought the property and facilities from and generally held view of Longyearbyen today is the Arctic Coal Company, whose main share- that of a well-developed, well-functioning and for- holder was Longyear. Until the end of the 1980s, ward-looking community. Longyearbyen was known as a ‘company town’, dependent in practice on SNSK for everything it needed to function as a community. Ny-Ålesund Not only has the population increased since With its location on Kongsfjorden, about 100 km the 1980s, but it has changed in structure, evolv- north of Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund is the north- ing gradually from a male-dominated mining com- ernmost inhabitated location in Svalbard. As of 1 munity into a family community. September 2015 it had 43 year-round residents. Of Pursuant to Report No. 9 (1999–2000) to the these, 25 are employed at Kings Bay AS and five Storting Svalbard, the Longyearbyen Community are employed by the Norwegian Polar Institute. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 15 Svalbard

The rest consist of researchers from various for- The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) has eign institutions. The size of the population grows for many years used Svea for research and educa- considerably in the summer, when scientists tion in the field of Arctic technology, with SINTEF arrive from the mainland and abroad. as a partner. Ny-Ålesund traces its origin to coal mining by In the summer of 2015, the state purchased Kings Bay Kull Co. AS, founded in 1916. The com- the real property and buildings in Svea from pany’s headquarters were in Ålesund, from which SNSK. the name Ny-Ålesund is derived. The company was at first privately owned, but in 1933 the state took over all the company’s shares, and thus own- Barentsburg ership of the real property and other assets. Min- Barentsburg is situated on the fjord known as ing was discontinued in 1962 after a major acci- Grønfjorden. The Trust Arktikugol mining com- dent. Since 1965 the site has been a research com- pany owns most of the land in the planning area munity with infrastructure operated in large part and operates a coal mine at the site. Coal produc- by the state-owned company Kings Bay AS. tion is currently about 100,000 tonnes per year. As Ny-Ålesund is a research community. Medical of March 2016, 450 residents were registered in care is among the dedicated services it lacks so, if Barentsburg. The community is organised on the the need arises, the hospital in Longyearbyen is model of a company town. used. Considering the community’s size and loca- Barentsburg changed ownership several times tion, the infrastructure is good, and includes a in the early 1900s, but has since 1932 been owned quay and an airstrip. by Trust Arktikugol. The name Barentsburg Another aspect of life in Ny-Ålesund is ‘radio stems from the period of Dutch ownership and silence’, among whose beneficiaries are research- refers to the discoverer of Svalbard, Willem Bar- ers and their use of passive receiving equipment. ents. The place also has the world’s northernmost post In recent years, tourism and research have office and its own store. The surrounding area fea- emerged as new activities in addition to mining. tures a large number of cultural heritage sites The Russian Academy of Sciences has long had a related to mining operations and to the period research centre on this site, and new research when the location served as a base for several infrastructure has been established. Many of the expeditions to the North Pole. buildings, including the community’s cultural cen- tre, hotel, hospital and several residential build- ings, have also been rehabilitated and modernised Sveagruva recently. Sveagruva (hereafter referred to as Svea), which The Russian consulate in Svalbard is located in is situated at the inner reach of Van Mijenfjorden, Barentsburg. was established in 1917 by the Swedish company AB Spetsbergens Svenska Kolfält. In 1934, the property and mining works were purchased by Pyramiden SNSK. Since then, at irregular intervals and with The former mining town of Pyramiden is located varying results, SNSK has had operations in Svea. in Billefjorden. The place is named for the pyra- During some periods, only a security team has mid-shaped mountain close by. It was originally been present at the site. established by a Swedish company, but was later In 2000, operations at Svea Vest were discontin- taken over by Trust Arktikugol, which is also the ued, and since 2002 there have been regular opera- site’s landowner. Pyramiden was abandoned as a tions in the Svea Nord mine, the largest in Sval- mining community in 1998. For a number of years bard. Production at Svea Nord was to be discontin- it stood more or less abandoned. ued in the spring of 2016. According to plan, opera- At one time Pyramiden had the same ameni- tions at Lunckefjell were to continue, but because ties and services as those found in Barentsburg. of low coal prices operations at Lunckefjell and the In recent years Trust Arktikugol has cleaned up rest of the mining works at Svea were placed in the place and upgraded it with a view to, among suspension for up to three years from 2017. other things, using it for tourism. The hotel is cur- Svea is exclusively industrial, with employees rently staffed and kept open at certain times of the commuting to and from Longyearbyen, mostly by year. air. Transport of all goods occurs by boat or, in winter, by tracked vehicle from Longyearbyen. 16 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

closely linked to hunting and trapping, but also to Hornsund research. The meteorological station was estab- Hornsund is a fjord in Sør-Spitsbergen National lished in 1947 and its on-site staff is composed of Park, and in the 1950s a Polish research station four people. As with the station on Bjørnøya, the was constructed at Isbjørnhamna on the north personnel are replaced twice a year. side of the fjord. In connection with the Interna- tional Geophysical Year in 1957–1958, the station was upgraded and expanded. There has been Other places with regular activity year-round activity at the station since 1978, under In addition to the places and activities mentioned the auspices of the Institute of Geophysics at the above, a number of hunting and trapping stations Polish Academy of Sciences. The number of are still operating in Svalbard. Hunting and trap- researchers on site varies, but averages about 17 ping while wintering in Svalbard was once an people throughout the year, and there is a perma- extensive industry, but today only a few trappers nent year-round staff of 11. are left. One can generally figure on four such sta- tions in Svalbard: Akseløya in Van Mijenfjorden, Kapp Wijk in Isfjorden, Farmhamna in Forland- Bjørnøya and Hopen sundet and Austfjordneset in Wijdefjorden. The The islands of Bjørnøya and Hopen each have first three are still in private ownership, while their own meteorological station with permanent, Austfjordneset is now owned by the state and is year-round personnel. Both Bjørnøya and Hopen lent out by the Governor of Svalbard. and their adjacent territorial sea are protected as The age and history of these trapping stations nature reserves. vary, but the activity itself has a long tradition in Geographically, Bjørnøya is situated almost Svalbard. It is in any case an activity that has exactly midway between the mainland and the always had to adapt to both natural and market southern tip of Spitsbergen island. Bjørnøya occu- conditions. Production and mortality for harvesta- pies about 178 km2. The island’s history is tied to ble species vary from area to area and from year hunting and trapping, but also attempted mining. to year. Quotas must therefore be based on sound Bjørnøya is especially known for its large and knowledge of the stocks and on annual counts of important bird-nesting cliffs. Since 1932 the Nor- reindeer in relevant areas. Within these limits, wegian Meteorological Institute has operated a hunting and trapping activity can help supply food radio station and conducted meteorological obser- service establishments, among others. The syn- vations on the island. The station has a staff of ergy thus created is positive, helping preserve the about 10, the members of which are replaced trapping tradition while producing useful products twice a year. for other actors in Svalbard. The Government will Hopen is a long, narrow island that juts out of therefore accommodate the continuation of such the sea about 100 km southeast of Edgeøya. The practices as part of the activity in Svalbard. island has an area of 47 km2 and its history is 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 17 Svalbard

3 Framework under international law

3.1 Norwegian sovereignty through a separate act of law: the Act of 17 July 1925 No. 11, known as the Svalbard Act. The Sval- Norwegian sovereignty over Svalbard is undis- bard Treaty is open to accession, and more than puted. ‘Sovereignty’ refers to a state’s exclusive 40 parties have acceded to the Treaty to date. dominion over its territory and its exclusive right The Treaty contains a number of provisions to exercise authority there, including the right to concerning the treatment of nationals and compa- adopt and enforce laws and other rules. Norway’s nies from the parties to the treaty. Under the sovereignty is confirmed in the Svalbard Treaty Treaty, Norway has assumed a limited obligation and in accordance with general international law under international law to treat equally nationals by tacit acceptance on the part of the other states. and companies from the parties to the treaty. This For that reason, all states are obliged to respect obligation applies to certain subject areas that are Norwegian sovereignty over Svalbard in the same enumerated in the Treaty. The Treaty also sets way they respect Norwegian sovereignty over the forth limitations on taxation and military activity other parts of Norway. in the archipelago. Because the Treaty is an Sovereignty over Svalbard applies not only to agreement under international law, only the par- the land territory, but also to the territorial sea ties (the states) may demand equal treatment by around the archipelago – that is, the internal Norway on behalf of their nationals and compa- waters and territorial sea extending to 12 nautical nies. miles – and the airspace above. The following sections present a review of the As a consequence of this sovereignty, Norway history of the Svalbard Treaty and a discussion of has the exclusive right to exercise authority over some of the Treaty’s provisions. A general assess- all nationals and companies – Norwegian as well ment of the Svalbard Treaty was also provided in as foreign – throughout the territory. No other previous white papers regarding Svalbard. Refer- state may exercise authority in Svalbard. Such ence in this regard is made to Report No. 39 exercise of authority would infringe Norwegian (1974–1975) to the Storting, Report No. 40 (1985– sovereignty. 1986) to the Storting, Report No. 9 (1999–2000) All private legal persons in Svalbard, both indi- to the Storting, and Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to viduals and companies, must adhere to Norwe- the Storting. gian rules and administration in the same manner as on the mainland. International agreements that Norway has joined also apply to Svalbard unless specific exceptions apply. One such exception has been made for the EEA Agreement. The Svalbard Treaty is discussed in section 3.2, and some spe- cific international agreements of particular impor- tance to Svalbard in section 3.3.

3.2 The Svalbard Treaty

3.2.1 Introduction The Svalbard Treaty was signed on 9 February 1920 and entered into force on 14 August 1925. On Figure 3.1 Signing of the Svalbard Treaty in Paris that same date, Svalbard became an indivisible on 9 February 1920. and inalienable part of the Kingdom of Norway Photo: From the archive of the Governor of Svalbard 18 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

At every turn, the proposals put forward at the Kristiania conferences were met with opposition, and were deemed not to be feasible. The outbreak of the First World War put a stop to further discus- sion. Norway then brought its case before the peace negotiations in 1919, arguing that the only ‘satis- factory and lasting solution would be to return the archipelago to Norway’. At the same time it was indicated that there would be no objections to granting certain rights to foreign nationals. The issue was put on the conference agenda even though the archipelago had not been affected by military operations during the war. A key reason for doing so was the losses Norway had sustained during the war despite its neutrality. A significant part of its merchant fleet had been sunk, resulting in considerable loss of life and ton- nage, while Norway had secured uninterrupted sea lines of communication and supply through- out the war. The great powers felt they owed a

Box 3.1 From Norway’s presentation to the Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference on 10 April 1919 Figure 3.2 The Svalbard Treaty. ‘Now, the experience of the successive negoti- Photo: From the archive of the Norwegian Polar Institute ations and the labours of the Conference of 1914 seem fully to have demonstrated that there are insurmountable difficulties in the One of the main objectives of the Treaty was to way of settling an international administration achieve final clarification of all outstanding issues for the islands of Spitsbergen and Bear Island, of international law through recognition of Nor- starting with the idea of terra nullius, and that wegian sovereignty. This also provides predictabil- the only satisfactory and permanent solution ity and clarity to the other parties to the Treaty. will be to return this archipelago to Norway. ‘This solution would in no way exclude an 3.2.2 A history of the negotiations arrangement by which the present occupants would have the right to submit possible litiga- The Svalbard Treaty came about as a result of tion relative to their property rights to the de- negotiations during the Paris Peace Conference cision of an international tribunal. In the same after the First World War in 1919. The growing way, the Norwegian Government would not economic activity in Svalbard at the beginning of object to the insertion of a clause on the future the 1900s necessitated clarification of the archipel- control of the mines of Spitsbergen in the ago’s status. Prior to the First World War, Norway agreement returning the islands to Norway. hosted three international conferences (the Kris- ‘The Norwegian Government is convinced tiania conferences) to discuss the possibility of that it is serving the interests of peace in sub- establishing international joint governance of the mitting to the Conference this question, which archipelago, with a view to addressing the grow- has been for so long in litigation, and ing need for regulation and control of coal mining expresses the hope that all the Powers will operations. The idea was inspired by the British- agree to return this archipelago definitively to French administration on the New Hebrides in Norway, the only country which has ever the Pacific Ocean, an arrangement which was exercised sovereign rights there.’ later criticised and eventually dissolved prior to the creation of the independent state of Vanuatu. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 19 Svalbard

of the issue of sovereignty. This is essential both for an understanding of the Svalbard Treaty and Box 3.2 From the Report of the for its interpretation. Spitsbergen Commission to the Supreme The outcome of the negotiations is reflected in Council of the Peace Conference on Article 1 of the Svalbard Treaty, which recognises 5 September 1919: Norway’s ‘full and absolute sovereignty’ over Sval- The archipelago being currently no man’s bard. Norway has full control over Svalbard in land, everyone agrees on the need to bring to accordance with the normal rules of international an end this state of affairs, by providing it with law. The Svalbard Treaty stipulates certain limita- a defined status. To this end, two solutions tions imposed by international law on Norway’s have been envisaged: The first solution pro- right to exercise authority. These are discussed in posed by various Powers and certain mem- section 3.2.5 below. bers of the Commission, consisted in granting The states that signed the Svalbard Treaty on to Norway a mandate under the League of 9 February 1920 were Norway, the United States, Nations. A second solution, requested by Nor- Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, way, consisted in attributing sovereignty over Great Britain and Sweden. Several other states the archipelago to this Power subject to cer- have subsequently acceded to the treaty. The tain stipulated guarantees for the benefit of the Soviet Union formally recognised Norwegian sov- other States. Considering the major interests ereignty over the archipelago in an exchange of that Norway has with regard to Spitsbergen, notes with Norway in 1924. The recognition was its proximity to the archipelago, and the made without conditions, 11 years before the advantage of a definitive solution, the Commis- Soviet Union ratified the Treaty in 1935. As stated sion rallied unanimously behind the second in the communication, the recognition meant the system, which has met on no objections from Soviet Union would not raise any future objections any of the most directly interested Powers. to the Treaty.

3.2.3 Principles of interpretation debt of gratitude to Norway, at the same time as Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of they sympathised with the arguments Norway Treaties of 1969 specifies the general rules of presented to the peace conference. US Secretary interpretation for treaties. The provision states of State Lansing had previously indicated that final that a treaty must be interpreted in good faith in clarification of the issue of sovereignty over Sval- accordance with the ordinary meaning to be given bard in Norway’s favour would be included in the to the terms of the treaty in their context and in conditions for lasting peace in Europe. In 1919 the light of its object and purpose. Norway is not a Norwegian Foreign Minister Ihlen gave his assur- party to the Vienna Convention, but the rule of ance that Norway would not create any difficulties interpretation expresses customary law by which in the settlement of Denmark’s claim to Green- all states are bound. land. This was part of a mutual understanding The principles of international law for treaty with the Danes that Denmark would also refrain interpretation provide a methodical approach from creating difficulties over Norway’s claim to based on the wording of the treaty, whereby provi- Svalbard. sions are read in context and are supported in Various solutions were proposed and dis- other objective sources for the parties’ intentions. cussed. The commission dealing with the case An expression may be given a special meaning – rejected a proposal whereby Norway would only that is, a meaning that differs from ordinary usage administer Svalbard on behalf of the international in international state and treaty practice – only if it community. Instead the committee voted unani- can be established that this was the intention of mously to recognise full Norwegian sovereignty the parties. over Svalbard on certain conditions. In doing so, Therefore, in line with ordinary principles of the conference rejected all notions that the terri- international law governing treaty interpretation, tory should be administered by Norway on behalf the Svalbard Treaty must primarily be interpreted of other states. Other states, moreover, were on the basis of the terms and expressions in the invited to accede to the treaty through a simple actual text. The original texts of the Treaty are notification procedure. This provided a means of French and English. It is the wording in these ver- quickly winning broad support for final settlement sions that determine the legal content of the 20 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Treaty. These texts form the basis for interpreting involve requirements of equal treatment, collec- the rights and obligations set forth in the Treaty, tion of taxes and duties, and military matters. and no interpretative weight may be accorded to translations, not even one into Norwegian. The point of departure for interpretation is the Equal treatment/non-discrimination ordinary linguistic understanding of the terms Under the Svalbard Treaty, Norway has an obliga- and expressions, placed in their context in the tion to ensure equal rights for nationals and com- Treaty. The wording in the Treaty explicitly states panies from parties to the Treaty in areas defined that Norway shall have full sovereignty. The word- in the Treaty. This is a requirement of non-dis- ing and expressions contained in the Treaty also crimination based on nationality for persons and clearly indicate the geographical scope of applica- on national affiliation for companies. Among the tion for the respective provisions. areas covered are hunting and fishing, access to the archipelago, engaging in certain types of com- mercial and industrial activity, and property rights 3.2.4 Geographical scope of application including mineral rights. The Svalbard archipelago is defined geographi- Nationals or companies from parties to the cally as all of the islands; great and small, and Treaty may not be placed at a disadvantage com- rocks between the geographical coordinates 10° pared to Norwegian nationals or companies in and 35° E longitude and 74° and 81° N latitude. these areas, and there may be no distinction made The wording makes clear that only the actual between nationals or companies from parties to islands within these coordinates are covered; that the Treaty on the basis of nationality. Although is, the land territory, and not the surrounding the Treaty prohibits discrimination based on waters. nationality in specified areas, it does not provide It is clear from the wording of certain provi- unlimited or unconditional liberty for anyone to sions in the Treaty that they apply both to land ter- engage in activity in these areas. The equal treat- ritory and to territorial waters. ment rule is not an obstacle to regulating or, if At the time the Treaty entered into force, Nor- necessary, prohibiting an activity for other rea- way had territorial sea extending to four nautical sons. The right to issue such regulations ensues miles. Norway’s territorial sea was extended in from Norway’s sovereignty. The Norwegian 2004 to 12 nautical miles from the baseline. After authorities are generally concerned with ensuring that, the Treaty provisions applicable in territorial sound regulation of activities in Svalbard. This waters also became applicable in the area between means that regulations applicable in Mainland- four and 12 nautical miles. Norway must also be applied in Svalbard should The special rules stipulated in the Treaty do developments in a given activity warrant it. In not apply on the continental shelf or in zones that some cases more stringent regulations may be were created in accordance with provisions in the necessary in Svalbard to protect its vulnerable United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea gov- environment. Regulation of different forms of erning exclusive economic zones. This follows activity is discussed elsewhere in this white paper. from the wording of the Treaty and is under- The Treaty itself presupposes observance of pinned by the Treaty’s prehistory and by its devel- local regulations as a condition for exercising opment and system. some of the rights specified in the Treaty; for example, in Article 3 concerning certain types of commercial activity. 3.2.5 Treaty limitations on the exercise of Similarly, the requirement for non-discrimina- authority tion does not apply to all types of activity in Sval- In Article 1 of the Svalbard Treaty, Norwegian bard, but only to the areas specifically set forth in sovereignty is recognised on the terms set forth Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty. Hunting and fishing in the Treaty. Limitations have not been placed on and maritime, industrial, mining and commercial sovereignty as such, but rather on how Norwe- operations are covered by the requirement for gian authority may be exercised in certain specifi- equal treatment. What the requirement for equal cally defined areas. Thus, Norway has an exclu- treatment covers from case to case must be deter- sive right to exercise authority in these areas as mined on the basis of an interpretation of the well. Treaty, in accordance with the principles concern- Norway’s obligations under the Svalbard ing, inter alia, wording and context as mentioned Treaty are linked especially to three issues. These above. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 21 Svalbard

To the extent which the Norwegian authorities Nevertheless, Article 9 of the Svalbard Treaty sets stipulate regulations for or practice equal treat- out limitations on Norway’s exercising its sover- ment in areas other than those mentioned in the eignty with regard to establishing – or allowing to Treaty, it is done so for reasons other than obliga- be established – naval bases, to constructing forti- tions under international law. fications, and to using Svalbard for warlike pur- poses. These limitations – and particularly the prohibition against use for warlike purposes – Taxes, duties, etc. must be viewed in light of the preamble of the Pursuant to the first paragraph of Article 8 in the Treaty. Here the parties state that in recognising Svalbard Treaty, Norway is obliged to adopt what Norwegian sovereignty they wish for Svalbard to is known as a mining code. The Mining Code was be ‘provided with an equitable regime’ to assure laid down by the Royal Decree of 7 August 1925. It its development and peaceful utilisation. ensues from the second paragraph of Article 8 in The prohibition against using Svalbard for the Svalbard Treaty that taxes, dues and duties warlike purposes is generally applicable and may only be levied in Svalbard if there is a need to applies to all parties to the Treaty. By virtue of its do so. According to the wording, Article 8 applies sovereignty, Norway has a particular duty to specifically to mining activities. Furthermore, ensure that no one violates this prohibition. Nor- such taxes, dues and duties must be used to the wegian policy has been designed to ensure proper exclusive benefit of Svalbard, and may not be used compliance with the Treaty and a restrictive prac- for purposes on the mainland. However, as long as tice with regard to Norwegian military activities the effect of the use of these revenues occurs in in Svalbard. Svalbard, it ensues from the wording and intent Article 9 does not constitute a prohibition that the actual spending of tax revenues may against all military activity. It pertains solely to occur elsewhere, as in the case of purchases made acts of war or activities for the purpose of waging on the mainland of equipment, etc. for use in Sval- war, and to constructing naval bases or infrastruc- bard. ture that can be classified as fortifications. Defen- The purpose of this taxation is to meet needs sive measures and other military measures are in Svalbard, and such needs are determined by permitted. The archipelago is covered by provi- discretionary judgement. Administration, public sions of the North Atlantic Treaty, including Arti- services and infrastructure, such as airports and cle 5 concerning collective self-defence. Norway search and rescue services, are needs that war- may individually and collectively implement rant such taxation. Previous deficits in the Sval- defensive measures in wartime or under the bard budgets may be covered by such taxation, threat of war. since these are central government expenditures The prohibition against fortification pertains for operations, measures, investments, etc. that to specific physical structures that are reinforced have exclusively benefited Svalbard. to withstand attack and that are usually equipped The restrictions in the second paragraph of with artillery positions. Therefore, it does not Article 8 do not cover payment for public services affect all installations or structures of a military where there is legal basis to require payment for nature or significance. them. Nor is payment for private services sup- The prohibition against naval bases means plied under contract covered by the restrictions. that no permanent military installation may be Pursuant to Article 8, third paragraph, Norway established for the purpose of stationing and pro- may levy an export duty on exports of minerals, visioning military vessels with supplies or ser- and instructions have been issued on how much vices normally offered at a naval base. However, duty is payable on quantities exported. the provision poses no obstacle to the Norwegian In practice, Norway has chosen to maintain a Coast Guard or other vessels making port calls in generally low level of taxes and duties in Svalbard, Svalbard to receive services and supplies from including for activities other than mining. This civilian suppliers as needed. policy has contributed to the development of busi- Visits by Norwegian naval vessels, Coast nesses and communities in Svalbard. Guard vessels, Armed Forces’ aircraft or Norwe- gian military personnel do not infringe the Treaty and are in keeping with long-established practice. Use for warlike purposes, and other military matters Norwegian policy has been designed to ensure By virtue of its sovereignty, Norway also has full proper compliance with the Treaty and a restric- right of control of military and defence matters. tive practice with regard to Norwegian military 22 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard activities in Svalbard. Consideration of the issue of military visits to the archipelago has placed par- 3.2.6 Research ticular emphasis on aspects such as frequency The Svalbard Treaty does not regulate research and duration, type of unit, and the need to carry activities. Nationals of the parties to the Treaty out operations. For example, frequent calls by have neither a right nor equal right to conduct Norwegian Coast Guard vessels are deemed natu- research activities in the archipelago. ral, given the nature of their duties in the waters Since the 1960s, Norwegian authorities have surrounding Svalbard. chosen to actively facilitate international polar All foreign military activity in Svalbard is pro- research in Svalbard by, among other things, hibited, and would constitute gross infringement developing Ny-Ålesund as a research platform. of Norwegian sovereignty. Unless they are Norwegian authorities wish to continue facilitat- involved in innocent passage through the territo- ing international research activity in Svalbard; see rial sea, foreign military and civilian government Chapter 8, ‘Knowledge, research and higher edu- vessels wishing to enter the Norwegian territorial cation’. sea around Svalbard must apply well in advance Research activities in Svalbard must be con- for diplomatic clearance. The same applies to port ducted in line with relevant Norwegian regula- calls in Svalbard and to aircraft overflights and tions, including the Svalbard Environmental Pro- landings at airports. The requirement for such tection Act. This matter is discussed in more clearance ensues from general international law, detail in Chapter 8. but for the sake of clarity is also laid down in the Article 5 of the Treaty stipulates in the second Regulations of 2 May 1997 concerning access and paragraph that conventions shall be concluded to entry to Norwegian territory in peacetime for for- lay down the conditions for conducting scientific eign military and civilian government vessels. research. The provision says nothing about which The Norwegian authorities practice a highly conditions must apply; nor was it ever followed up. restrictive policy with regard to granting diplo- There has been an increase in the number of matic clearance to foreign military aircraft and international cooperation agreements, projects vessels. Foreign government craft with military and networks of significance for scientific purposes are not granted diplomatic clearance. research over the past decade. It is no longer rele- Dispensation may be granted on certain condi- vant to negotiate separate agreements on the con- tions to foreign aircraft that are registered as mili- ditions for scientific research in the archipelago. It tary aircraft but are being used for civilian pur- is therefore up to the Norwegian authorities, by poses. That may be the case, for example, when virtue of Norway’s sovereignty, to regulate Norwegian authorities invite high-level represent- research activity. atives of foreign government authorities to Sval- bard for civilian purposes and the use of sched- uled or other civilian aircraft is impractical or 3.3 International agreements impossible. An additional requirement is that gov- ernment craft used in this way must have a civilian 3.3.1 EEA Agreement and Schengen appearance. Agreement In a declaration to the parties to the Treaty in When Norway ratified the EEA (European Eco- 1971, Norway stated that the airport in Longyear- nomic Area) Agreement in 1992, Svalbard was byen ‘is to be reserved exclusively for civil avia- excluded from its scope of application because of tion’. This declaration was issued independently of the special circumstances ensuing from Norway’s the Svalbard Treaty and is a self-imposed restric- international legal obligations under the Svalbard tion. The purpose of a flight will determine Treaty. For rules stemming from Norway’s obliga- whether or not it is deemed ‘civil aviation’. Conse- tions under the EEA Agreement to apply to the quently, military aircraft on civilian missions may archipelago, the relationship to Svalbard Treaty be granted permission to use the airport. Permis- parties that are not members of the EEA would sion is granted, for example, to Norwegian Armed have to be clarified on account of the principle of Forces aircraft in connection with search and res- non-discrimination in the areas where this princi- cue operations, coastguard operations and train- ple applies. However, the free trade agreements ing flights for such operations. between Norway and the European Economic Community and the Convention establishing the European Free Trade Association continue to apply to Svalbard. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 23 Svalbard

The Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985. In practice, GATT has had no special signifi- The purpose of the agreement is to abolish border cance for Svalbard, because pursuant to the Act of posts and border controls between member states 21 December 2007 No. 119 relating to customs and reinforce external border controls. Norway duties and movement of goods (the Customs Act), acceded to the Schengen Agreement in 1996. As a Svalbard lies outside the Norwegian customs consequence of the provision in Article 3 of the area. Therefore, goods imported to Norway from Svalbard Treaty governing access, Svalbard is not Svalbard are subject to customs clearance. Goods covered by the agreement concerning association originating in Svalbard are exempt from customs with the Schengen cooperation. For more infor- duty according to the provisions of the customs mation on Schengen, see section 5.3.3. tariff.

3.3.2 WTO Agreement and GATT Agreement 3.3.3 Sanctions adopted by the UN Security No general reservations concerning Svalbard Council were made in connection with the establishment The UN Security Council can with legally binding of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The effect under international law impose sanctions WTO was created on the basis of the previously that are on states, persons or entities. Norway has concluded General Agreement on Tariffs and an obligation to implement such sanctions, an Trade (GATT), which entered into force on 1 Jan- obligation that takes precedence over other obli- uary 1948. Similarly, GATT contains no reserva- gations under international law. Such obligations tions for Svalbard. Among GATT’s key objectives apply as much for Svalbard as for the rest of Nor- are non-discrimination and reduction and elimina- way. The implementation of sanctions that include tion of tariff and trade barriers, and in essence the travel restrictions are discussed in more detail in agreement harmonises with the Svalbard Treaty’s section 5.3.4. requirement for non-discrimination. 24 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

4 Objectives, policy instruments, administration

4.1 Key objectives 4.2 Policy instruments

The objectives of the Svalbard policy have By virtue of Norway’s sovereignty over the archi- remained unchanged for a long time, and have pelago, the authorities have access to the same been articulated in Report No. 40 (1985–1986) to policy instruments that are available in the rest of the Storting Svalbard (see Recommendation to Norway. The central government’s key social the Storting No. 212 (1986–1987); Report No. 9 development policy instruments are: legislation, (1999–2000) to the Storting Svalbard (see also economic policy instruments and various forms of Recommendation to the Storting No. 196 (1999– ownership. Participation in committees or organi- 2000)); and Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the sations can also constitute policy instruments. Storting Svalbard (see Recommendation to the Specific to Svalbard in this respect is the coordina- Storting No. 336 (2008–2009)). These objectives tion of Svalbard affairs within the central govern- have been reiterated in subsequent Storting docu- ment administration through the Interministerial ments relating to Svalbard and are reaffirmed Committee on the Polar Regions. In addition, a annually when the Svalbard budget is approved. separate budget proposition (the Svalbard The Government’s overriding objectives for the budget) is presented simultaneously with the Svalbard policy are: national budget. These policy instruments are dis- – Consistent and firm enforcement of sover- cussed in more detail below. eignty How, and to what degree, these policy instru- – Proper observance to the Svalbard Treaty and ments are used depends on whether the economic control to ensure compliance with the Treaty climate is characterised by continued, self-driven – Maintenance of peace and stability in the area development or whether particular forms of stim- – Preservation of the area’s distinctive natural ulus are desired. At all times, the framework for wilderness their use is proper compliance with the Svalbard – Maintenance of Norwegian communities in the Treaty and the overriding objectives of the Sval- archipelago bard policy. Development in the past decade has been largely of the self-driven variety. In such a sit- There is broad political consensus across party uation, the primary task of the authorities is to lines on the objectives of the Svalbard policy. This provide for necessary regulation to ensure that was confirmed by the Storting’s consideration of development does not conflict with the overriding Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting objectives as a whole. Since the previous white Svalbard, and is also reflected in its consideration paper on Svalbard was presented, a growing num- of the annual Svalbard budgets. ber of laws and regulations concerning Svalbard The Government attaches importance to conti- have been implemented, ensuring that the activi- nuity and predictability in the administration of ties pursued in the archipelago accord with Nor- the archipelago, and will therefore continue to wegian law. pursue the overriding objectives of the Svalbard As described in the introduction, this white policy. Continued predictability in the administra- paper pays particular attention to the objective of tion of Svalbard in line with these objectives pro- maintaining Norwegian communities in the archi- vides security for the population of Longyearbyen pelago. This objective is pursued through the fam- while enhancing stability and predictability in the ily community policy in Longyearbyen. Continued region. development of existing activities such as tourism, For a more detailed account of the overriding research and higher education will contribute to objectives, reference is made to Report No. 22 this. However, it is also important to facilitate (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard and to the broader, more diversified economic activity. respective chapters in this white paper. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 25 Svalbard

Both economic activity and research and higher education activity are most likely to suc- 4.2.2 State ownership in companies and real ceed in cases where they build upon on Svalbard’s property inherent natural conditions. Facilitating economic The Norwegian state owns the mining company activity, particularly tourism, stands out as one of Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS several measures that can contribute to achieving (SNSK), Kings Bay AS, Bjørnøen AS and the Uni- this objective. However, the central government is versity Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), all of them as not a tourism industry actor, and the authorities state-owned limited companies. The Ministry of will also have other considerations in mind, as Trade, Industry and Fisheries today manages the illustrated by the five overriding objectives of the state’s shares in SNSK, Kings Bay AS and Svalbard policy. In order to facilitate economic Bjørnøen AS, while the Ministry of Education and activity, the Storting has approved this Govern- Research manages the state’s ownership in UNIS. ment’s proposal to allocate NOK 20 million to Furthermore, Svalbard Satellite Station (SvalSat) Innovation Norway. This appropriation enables is owned by Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), businesses to apply for start-up grants or funding a company in which the state has an indirect own- to develop different initiatives. ership interest through its ownership interest in The scope of research and higher education in Space Norway and Kongsberg Gruppen. Svalbard has doubled during the past decade, making these areas an important part of Norwe- gian activity in the archipelago. Longyearbyen has State ownership in companies in Svalbard strengthened its position as a hub for research The Norwegian state owns, either directly or indi- and higher education, both of which form much of rectly, several companies in Svalbard. The objec- the foundation for the local community. tive of state ownership of companies in Svalbard is This white paper describes the Government’s to contribute to maintaining and further develop- ambitions for Svalbard, and in doing so provides ing the community in Longyearbyen in a way that guidelines for the archipelago’s further develop- supports the overriding objectives of the Svalbard ment. It is important that the administration take policy. these into consideration in its work. The SNSK group is a state-owned company. The Longyearbyen Community Council was The group currently consists of the parent com- established in 2002 and must, according to its pany, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS statement of purpose, ensure ‘a rational and effec- (SNSK), and the wholly owned subsidiaries Store tive administration of common interests within the Norske Spitsbergen Grubekompani AS (SNSG) framework of Norwegian Svalbard policy’. and Store Norske Boliger (SNB). SNSK owns According to the provision, the Longyearbyen approximately 380 housing units through Store Community Council has an important task with Norske Boliger AS. SNSK also owns 65 per cent of regard to achieving national objectives. Of particu- the shares in the subsidiary Pole Position Logis- lar note is the council’s role as local facilitator, tics AS. SNSK’s head office is located in Longyear- helping to increase and diversify economic activ- byen. The SNSK group is also the largest claim ity in accordance with the guidelines of this white holder in Svalbard, with 324 claims. paper. During almost 100 years of operation, SNSK has supported the Longyearbyen both directly and indirectly. In recent years the company has 4.2.1 Legislation been classified as a Category 3 company accord- Legislation is the most important policy instru- ing to the definition given in Report No. 27 (2013– ment for Norway’s exercise of authority in Sval- 2014) to the Storting Diverse and Value-Creating bard and for advancing its other Svalbard policy Ownership. Companies in this category compete objectives. See Chapter 5, ‘Legislation’, for a more with other businesses on a commercial basis. At detailed discussion of legislation as a policy instru- the same time, the objective of state ownership in ment and of the legislative situation in specific SNSK is to contribute to maintaining and further areas. Important regulations in different areas are developing Longyearbyen in a way that supports also discussed in more detail in Chapter 7, ‘Envi- the overriding objectives of the Svalbard policy. ronmental protection’; Chapter 9, ‘Economic activ- The state’s ownership objective is met through its ity’; and Chapter 10, ‘Civil protection, rescue and ownership role in the company, and not by issuing emergency preparedness’. special guidelines for company operations. 26 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

SNSK has played, and will continue to play, an rectly to ensuring that SvalSat is managed in line important role in the Longyearbyen by supplying with the overriding objectives of the Svalbard pol- coal to the power plant. The company’s recent per- icy, and affords control to ensure that the nature formance has provided cause to reconsider its cat- of its activities does not change without that being egorisation. To better reflect the various issues the intention. the state must consider as owner of SNSK, the Government announced in Proposition to the Storting No. 52 S (2015–2016) that SNSK’s cate- State ownership of land in Svalbard gorisation would be changed from Category 3 to The Norwegian state owns approximately 98.4 per Category 4. Category 4 includes companies with cent of all land in Svalbard. Through its ownership sectoral policy objectives. Report No. 27 (2013– in Kings Bay AS and Bjørnøen AS, the state indi- 2014) to the Storting Diverse and Value-Creating rectly owns a further 0.75 per cent of land in Sval- Ownership states that the objective for this type of bard. In 2015 the state purchased land in Svalbard company should be adapted to the purpose of from SNSK. ownership. As owner, the state will place empha- In addition to land, the state owns infrastruc- sis on the achievement of sectoral policy objec- ture and building stock related to Mine 7 in tives as effectively as possible. The company and Adventdalen, in Svea, and in Lunckefjell, as well as its further development are discussed in more some infrastructure and building stock in Long- detail in Chapter 9. yearbyen. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Kings Bay AS is a state-owned company. Kings Fisheries owns the state’s real property in Sval- Bay owns land and most of the buildings in Ny- bard. Parallel with the transfer of the land to the Ålesund. Kings Bay AS provides services in Ny- state in 2015, a rental and management agreement Ålesund to facilitate research and scientific activ- was signed with SNSK under which the company ity, and contributes to developing Ny-Ålesund as a rents and manages the real property on behalf of Norwegian centre of international Arctic scientific the Norwegian state. research. Today the company receives subsidies The state-owned properties in Svalbard are for investments from the central government managed in line with the overriding objectives of budget, and plays a key role in achieving the the Svalbard policy. Through its ownership of the objective of further developing Svalbard and Ny- land in Longyearbyen, the state will, in consulta- Ålesund as a platform for international polar tion with the Longyearbyen Community Council research. The company also administers many as the planning authority, facilitate business and cultural heritage sites in Ny-Ålesund and in the urban development within the scope of the objec- surrounding land area measuring 295 km2. tives of the Svalbard policy. In the time ahead, the The business purpose of Bjørnøen AS is to Government will consider how the building stock manage and utilise the company’s property in and infrastructure in Svea should be further man- Svalbard, and other related activities. Bjørnøen aged pending a possible decision to discontinue owns all the land and some historically significant mining operations. buildings in Bjørnøya. The company is administra- tively organised under Kings Bay AS. The objec- tive of state ownership in Bjørnøen AS is to man- Table 4.1 Summary of distribution of land age property holdings on Bjørnøya. The com- ownership in Svalbard, by percentage of land pany’s operations must be effective. area SvalSat is owned by Kongsberg Satellite Ser- Landowner Percentage of land area vices (KSAT). In turn, 50 per cent of KSAT is owned by Space Norway (which is wholly owned Norwegian state 98.4 per cent by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries) Kings Bay AS 0.47 per cent (Kings Bay) and 50 per cent by Kongsberg Gruppen, in which Bjørnøen AS 0.28 per cent (Bjørnøya) the state has a 50-per-cent stake. The station in Svalbard is the northernmost in the world for Trust Arktikugol 0.4 per cent (Barentsburg and downlinking satellite data, and currently has 16 Pyramiden, etc.) employees and an annual turnover of more than AS Kulspids 0.1 per cent (Søre Fagerfjord) NOK 100 million. SvalSat is a global leader in Horn family 0.35 per cent (Austre Advent- downlinking data from weather satellites in polar fjord) orbit. State ownership in KSAT contributes indi- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 27 Svalbard

‘Statsbygg, Svalbard’; and chapter 3022, ‘Tax 4.2.3 The Svalbard budget Office, Svalbard’. In addition, some chapter titles Every year government funding is allocated for a have been updated. Combined, these revisions variety of purposes in Svalbard, drawing on the have helped give a more accurate description of Svalbard budget and on central government the various allocations from the Svalbard budget. budget chapters pertaining to various sectoral Tax revenues in Svalbard have varied consid- ministries. The Ministry of Justice and Public erably during the period since the previous white Security presents the Svalbard budget as a sepa- paper was published (Report No. 22 (2008–2009) rate budget proposition concurrently with the cen- to the Storting Svalbard); see Table 4.2. This is tral government budget proposal. A separate due primarily to large tax revenues from profits by budget for Svalbard is presented every year in the rig operator Seadrill Norge AS and SNSK. The order to show the revenues and expenditures in decline in revenues in financial year 2014 was due Svalbard. The budget gives an overall view of the to an adjustment to the tax assessment for Seadrill Government’s focus areas and priorities in Sval- Norge AS. After final settlement, it was decided bard. Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting, that revenues previously taxed under Svalbard tax Svalbard states that the Ministry of Justice and rules for the financial years 2008–2012 should be the Police ‘will consider a closer examination of reassessed under ordinary tax rules. the content of some of the chapters of the budget Still, expenditure from the Svalbard budget to ensure that appropriations harmonise in the during that period shows an increase, reflecting best possible way with the objectives of the vari- the general rise in activity in the archipelago dur- ous chapters’. In pursuance of this, budget chap- ing that period as well as government investment ter 2, ‘Subsidies for cultural purposes etc.’, has in Svalbard and the High North. been discontinued and the resources transferred Figure 4.1 shows total appropriations for Sval- to other chapters. Furthermore, the following bard purposes from the central government three budget chapters have been added: chapter budget during the period. The reason for the 4, ‘Subsidies to Svalbard Museum’; chapter 3020, increase shown here is the same as that given

Table 4.2 Overview of Svalbard budget trends, based on accounting figures 2008–2014

(NOK million) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Revenues 134 539 349 816 540 151 -1 058 Subsidies 96 -298 -95 -544 -240 176 1 512 Expenditure 230 241 254 272 300 328 455

Source: Meld. St. 3 Central government accounts including National Insurance for 2008–2014

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 4.1 Total appropriations from the central government budget for Svalbard purposes, in NOK million. Proposition 1 S to the Storting, Svalbard budget, from 2008 to 2016 28 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard above: increased investment in Svalbard and the case a few decades ago. At the same time, Long- High North. The increase during this period is yearbyen now has more diversified economic closely linked to the rehabilitation of the energy activity and a more complex constellation of supply system in Longyearbyen and the signing of actors that influence developments locally. The new rental contracts for helicopters and service Longyearbyen Community Council has estab- vehicles by the Governor of Svalbard in 2014. lished its position as the local authority and The Svalbard budget gives the Storting an administrative body; dialogue with the ministries overall presentation of the Government’s invest- is important to ensure that Longyearbyen’s com- ments and priorities in Svalbard. The Svalbard munity development conforms with the overrid- budget also provides the opportunity for annual ing objectives of the Svalbard policy. The Ministry presentation of developments in the archipelago. of Justice and Public Security and the Longyear- At a time when economic activity stimulus in byen Community Council maintain regular dia- Longyearbyen is welcome, the Svalbard budget is logue. a policy instrument the central government can use to help achieve development towards this objective in line with the overriding objectives of Central administration the Svalbard policy. For these reasons, the Gov- The Ministry of Justice and Public Security has ernment will continue the system of presenting a responsibility for coordinating polar affairs in pub- separate budget for Svalbard. lic administration. One of the ministry’s key policy instruments in this regard is the Interministerial Committee on the Polar Regions. The committee 4.2.4 Administration convenes about 10 times a year and performs its As in the rest of Norway, the management and work in accordance with specific instructions first administration of Svalbard have changed over laid down by the Royal Decree of 6 January 1965. time. Previously the general rule was that central The committee’s mandate and composition were authorities had overriding and direct control over strengthened by the Royal Decree of 18 October most of the Norwegian activities in the archipel- 2002. The Interministerial Committee on the Polar ago. In step with new developments elsewhere, Regions is a coordinating and consultative body this situation has gradually changed, with the for the central administration’s handling of polar result that the management aspect is now more affairs, and serves as a special advisory body to decentralised. This development is part of a delib- the Government on such matters. The fact that erate policy tailored to the situation. The situation polar matters are submitted to the Interministerial for Longyearbyen is therefore closely related to Committee on the Polar Regions changes neither the fact that the scope and diversity of economic the decision-making authority of the relevant min- activity have increased compared with previous istry nor the relevant minister’s constitutional periods. responsibility for decisions made. Developments in recent years also show that Another important tool for the central adminis- the coordination of Svalbard affairs is becoming tration is the Svalbard budget, which is presented increasingly complex. There are a number of rea- annually as a proposition by the Ministry of Jus- sons for this, including in particular Longyear- tice and Public Security; see the discussion of the byen’s recent growth, the increase in private eco- Svalbard budget above. nomic activity, and more extensive field activity (especially in tourism and research). Although these developments have resulted in a gradual The Governor of Svalbard reduction in special administrative treatment for The Governor of Svalbard is the Government’s Svalbard beyond where this is necessary, there is highest-ranking representative in the archipelago, still a need to view some Svalbard issues using a and serves as both chief of police and county gov- comprehensive, overall perspective. Therefore, ernor. As chief of police, the Governor of Svalbard the decentralisation of authority also entails a spe- has the same responsibilities and authority as cific need to coordinate between the responsible chiefs of police on the mainland. The Governor authorities. has responsibility for the rescue services and also The growth in activity in Svalbard has meant for community preparedness. The main tasks in that more laws are now made applicable to the these areas of responsibility consist of rescue and archipelago, and several ministries now play a role emergency preparedness, police duties and public in formulating the Svalbard policy than was the prosecution. See Chapter 10, ‘Civil protection, res- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 29 Svalbard

Figure 4.2 The Governor of Svalbard’s administration building. Photo: Frode Schärer Bjørshol, Ministry of Justice and Public Security cue and emergency preparedness’, for a more All these investments make the Governor of detailed discussion of rescue and emergency pre- Svalbard well equipped to resolve current tasks in paredness tasks in Svalbard. a satisfactory manner. If the Governor is assigned As county governor, the Governor of Svalbard new tasks and responsibilities, there will be fur- acts as the regional state environmental authority ther need to strengthen manpower levels. in Svalbard, and is responsible for enforcing envi- ronmental legislation and monitoring compliance. The Governor’s environmental protection duties Longyearbyen Community Council cover a broad spectrum, including protected The Longyearbyen Community Council (LCC) was areas, species management, cultural heritage, appointed in 2002 and has become an important encroachment and pollution. Planning activities partner for the central authorities. The council not designated as the responsibility of the Long- works to ensure environmentally responsible and yearbyen Community Council come in addition. sustainable community development in Longyear- Case preparation, application processing, regula- byen that complies with the wishes and needs of the tory duties and development of management local population and is within the framework of the plans are other important tasks of the Governor in Svalbard policy. The LCC receives most of its operat- the area of environmental protection. See Chapter ing funds via a block grant from the Ministry of Jus- 7, ‘Environmental protection’, for a more detailed tice and Public Security. Some guidelines are issued discussion of the environmental tasks in Svalbard. to the council by the central authorities through let- The Governor of Svalbard is also an important ters of allocation and contact with the ministry. adviser on the formation of the Svalbard policy. The establishment of the LCC has provided a To enable the Governor of Svalbard to resolve more up-to-date form of exercising of authority at new challenges relating to rescue and emergency local level. The council has management responsi- preparedness, the police manpower has been bility for specific areas within the Longyearbyen strengthened and a new annex to the administra- land-use planning area. In many areas its tasks are tion building has been built to house a new opera- similar to those of a mainland municipality. LCC tions room. The environmental department has also has responsibility for energy supply, however. also allocated more positions. On the other hand, it has no tasks or expenditure 30 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Box 4.1 Management of tourism, field trips and other travel activity in Svalbard The Governor of Svalbard processes cases pur- ter was raised. In extension of this follow-up, suant to the Regulations of 18 October 1991 No. new provisions were introduced setting require- 671 relating to tourism, field trips and other ments for the qualifications of tour operators in travel in Svalbard. These regulations have two Svalbard. Another new provision was introduced purposes. One is to ensure that everyone who assuring the Governor of Svalbard access to travels around Svalbard take safety into account documentation needed in exercising official when planning and carrying out field trips. The tasks pursuant to the regulations. A new admin- duties to provide notice of activity and to carry istrative sanction was also introduced giving the insurance are important in this connection. The Governor of Svalbard authority in certain cir- tourism regulations are also intended to safe- cumstances to postpone tour operators’ right to guard the interests of the natural environment submit notice of planned tours. and cultural monuments. In this respect, the Safety and environmental considerations regulations align with the provisions in the Sval- apply regardless of who travels around Svalbard. bard Environmental Protection Act regarding This was made explicit in a new provision stipu- behaviour in the field. lating that representatives from research and The tourism regulations were recently educational institutions were also subject to the revised, and the resulting amendments entered tourism regulations when travelling in the field. into force on 8 January 2015. This revision was The Governor’s tourism adviser has prime performed after close dialogue between the responsibility for administering the tourism reg- Governor of Svalbard and the tourist industry in ulations, as well as for liaising between the tour- Svalbard, among others. ism industry and the Governor of Svalbard. This On completion of the revision process it was channel of communication serves as a good tool concluded that there was no need to create a for exchanging information, providing guidance, mandatory certification scheme for guides. This and discussing issues that either party may wish matter was looked into as a follow-up to the to raise. The tourism regulations have been in Storting’s consideration of the previous white force since 1992, and experience has proven paper on Svalbard; see Recommendation to the them a useful tool in a growing, dynamic tour- Storting No. 336 (2008–2009), in which this mat- ism market.

for elderly care because Longyearbyen is not a See section 6.2.3 for a more detailed discus- cradle-to-grave community. Nor does the council sion of energy supply. have any responsibility for expenditure for other health and care services; see section 6.3.3. Supplying energy in the form of both heat and Other government agencies etc. electricity is one of the LCC’s most important The Norwegian Polar Institute is a directorate tasks, as well as one of the most expensive. To under the Ministry of Climate and Environment, secure operations and extend the lifetime of the and is the central government institution for map- power plant, extensive maintenance and upgrad- ping, environmental monitoring and management- ing work has begun. The state covers two-thirds related research in Arctic regions. The Norwe- of the cost of this work. The upgrade is expected gian Polar Institute has a permanent presence in to extend the lifetime of the power plant by 20 to Longyearbyen as advisory body to the Governor 25 years from when the work began in 2013. of Svalbard, among other things. The Directorate Between 2012 and 2014 funding was allocated to of Mining, with the Commissioner of Mines at build a sewage treatment plant to deal with emis- Svalbard, has its own office and staff in Svalbard. sions of sulphur and particulates from the power The directorate administers the Mining Code for plant, among other things. Svalbard. The tax office in Svalbard is established Operation of the power plant is currently in Longyearbyen, and Statsbygg Svalbard has its based on coal from Mine 7. The long-term supply office there, too. of coal from this mine may be affected by the Avinor is a state-owned limited company, and changes in the production plans for Mine 7. Longyearbyen Hospital is part of the University 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 31 Svalbard

Hospital of North Norway and as such is state- proposal to establish the Church of Norway as an owned; see the Health Authorities and Health independent legal entity, separate of the state; see Trusts Act. Svalbard Church is now a public Proposition to the Storting No. 55 L (2015–2016) agency in Svalbard. It has been proposed that the to amend the Church of Norway Act. agency be separated from the state and trans- ferred to the Church of Norway, in line with the 32 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

5 Legislation

Legislation and its enforcement constitute a key the Storting pointed out that a review of these element of any society based on the rule of law. principles would require thorough assessment. Svalbard is no different from the rest of the coun- The review of the 2008–2009 white paper stip- try in this respect, and our exercise of authority ulated that the legal framework for Svalbard over the archipelago is based on Norwegian legis- should be as similar as possible to that of the lation. Legislation is a key policy instrument for mainland, and that new legislation as a rule implementing the objectives of the Svalbard pol- should be made applicable in Svalbard unless spe- icy, and is necessary for achieving rational social cial circumstances dictated otherwise or unless development within the scope of these objectives. exemptions or adaptations were needed. It was Important laws and regulations related to the further stipulated that legislation should apply and implementation of the Svalbard policy are dis- be enforced equally throughout the archipelago cussed in more detail in: Chapter 4, ‘Objectives, unless there was a need for transitional arrange- policy instruments, administration’; Chapter 7, ments or other ways of phasing in legislation. The ‘Environmental protection’; Chapter 9, ‘Economic Storting endorsed these guidelines through con- activity’; and Chapter 10, ‘Civil protection, rescue sideration of the white paper by the Standing and emergency preparedness’. Committee on Foreign Affairs. This chapter presents a review of the princi- Nonetheless, not all legislation will automati- ples governing the application of legislation in cally be made applicable to Svalbard. The white Svalbard and of the status of implementation of paper stipulated that the principles laid out in sec- laws and regulations not previously applied. This tion 2 of the Svalbard Act should continue to apply. chapter also deals with areas of law that are espe- That is to say that legislation dealing with private cially important for social development and with law, criminal law and the administration of justice other legislative work going on in specific areas. should apply unless otherwise decided. Other leg- islation, in practice referred to as public law rules, must be introduced separately. In its considera- 5.1 Legislative principles tion of the white paper, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs agreed that this was an appro- The previous white paper on Svalbard (Report No. priate solution because conditions for the local 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard) gave a community differed from those on the mainland. thorough review of the principles governing the Accordingly, separate assessments are made application of legislation in Svalbard. This discus- of the relationship to Svalbard for rules of a public sion was based on the Office of the Auditor Gen- law nature. This is necessary both when consider- eral’s management audit of Svalbard (Document ing whether laws and regulations already adopted No. 3:8 (2006–2007), which noted that in certain should apply to Svalbard and when adopting new areas Svalbard seemed under-regulated. The legislation. Such a consideration must determine Office of the Auditor General raised the question whether an act of law is suited to conditions in of whether Longyearbyen’s development, with a Svalbard and whether there is a need for local complex business community and a growing num- adjustments. These may be warranted by adminis- ber of foreign nationals, suggested a need to make trative, climatic, geographical or other local condi- additional legislation applicable there. The Office tions. of the Auditor General also called for an assess- In some areas, separate laws or regulations ment of whether changes ought to be made to the have been passed that are specially adapted to principles governing how laws are made applica- conditions in Svalbard. One such area is environ- ble to Svalbard. Furthermore, in processing the mental protection, where the Svalbard Environ- Office of the Auditor General’s report (see Rec- mental Protection Act implements the ambitious ommendation No. 46 (2007–2008) to the Storting) environmental objectives for the archipelago. This 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 33 Svalbard act is discussed in more detail in section 7.3.2. A tection, emergency preparedness and crisis man- separate taxation act has also been adopted for agement (2015). A comprehensive body of laws Svalbard; see section 5.3.2. Another example is and regulations in the area of health legislation the regulations concerning tourism, field trips and was also recently made to apply to Svalbard (see other travel activity, which are discussed in Box section 5.3.1 for further discussion). The Food Act 4.1. was also made applicable in Svalbard, and work is Although the objective, as already mentioned, under way to assess which parts of the regulations is for legislation to be applied and enforced pertaining to the act should also apply. Thus, equally throughout Svalbard, not all laws are many of the laws mentioned in the Office of the suited to conditions in the entire archipelago, and Auditor General’s performance audit have now in some cases there will still be a need for transi- been introduced, as well as other legislation. Fur- tional arrangements. Other ways of phasing in thermore, the new Property Unit Ownership Act may also be necessary, in order, for example, to due to be put forward in 2016 will also apply to give particular organisations the ability to restruc- Svalbard. Therefore, although some areas of legis- ture. In special cases, exemption provisions may lation still need to be reviewed and considered for be considered for certain types of activity. Admin- application to Svalbard, the need for regulation istrative factors may also necessitate adjustments raised in the performance audit by the Office of in cases where Svalbard, for example, lacks local the Auditor General must to all intents and pur- agencies or administrative levels corresponding poses now be considered met. to those on the mainland. It may be appropriate to In recent years the general approach to imple- introduce legislation which, for practical and menting legislation for Svalbard has been that administrative reasons, is made applicable only in legal authority in the archipelago is assigned to the Longyearbyen land-use planning area. the body that possesses the responsibility for that The Government will carry forward the princi- issue on the mainland. As a result, a growing num- ples of applying legislation described above, and ber of bodies, such as the Norwegian Maritime will continually assess whether legislation applied Authority and the Norwegian Coastal Administra- to the mainland should also be applied to Sval- tion, have assumed tasks and direct authority in bard. The following section elaborates on certain Svalbard. For example, the County Governor of matters with respect to legislation for Svalbard. Troms has supervisory responsibility for schools, assisted by expertise in Svalbard affairs from the Governor of Svalbard. This arrangement allows 5.2 Status of instituting legislation the respective authorities to cultivate their roles as experts and at the same time relieves the Gov- In keeping with the guidelines set out in the previ- ernor of Svalbard and the Longyearbyen Commu- ous white paper (Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to nity Council of having to develop expertise unnec- the Storting Svalbard), several laws have since essarily. Prior to this arrangement, the absence of been instituted which previously did not apply to local competent authorities and the long distance Svalbard. In its audit, the Office of the Auditor to the mainland meant that the Governor of Sval- General pointed to the Competition Act, the Prop- bard was assigned these tasks and responsibili- erty Unit Ownership Act, the Harbours and Fair- ties. Today it is both natural and appropriate that ways Act and the Food Act as examples of under- the relevant competent authorities perform these regulation. The Competition Act was made appli- tasks and assume these responsibilities. cable to Svalbard in 2009, while the Harbours and The previous white paper on Svalbard (Report Fairways Act and the Pilotage Act were made No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard) pre- applicable in 2010 and 2012 respectively. Introduc- sented an overview of business and company leg- tion of both the Pilotage Act and the Harbours and islation that applies to Svalbard. With reference to Fairways Act required a number of local adjust- a Supreme Court ruling published in Rt. 2007 p. ments to be made in laws and regulations. The 801, it was shown that the public law parts of busi- provisions governing municipal emergency pre- ness and company legislation did not apply to paredness duties in the Civil Protection Act were Svalbard unless specifically provided. Further- introduced for the Longyearbyen Community more, it was pointed out that the Ministry of Council (LCC) in 2012. Other legal provisions now Finance was in the process of considering the in application are the National Security Act (2013) extent to which the Accounting Act and Book- and the instructions for the County Governor and keeping Act should be made applicable to self- Governor of Svalbard’s work relating to civil pro- employed persons and others engaged in eco- 34 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard nomic activity in Svalbard. It was also recom- byen. The low tax rate and the fact that immigra- mended that other legislation in this area of law be tion legislation does not apply are reflected in the more closely evaluated. range of local services available (see section 6.3.3 A recently appointed committee on auditing for a more detailed discussion). No social or wel- and accounting has been tasked with examining fare services are provided for individuals who can- the application of auditing legislation to Svalbard. not finance their stay in Svalbard through labour The Ministry of Finance is still considering the market participation. Therefore, central laws con- application of the Accounting Act and the Book- ferring statutory rights, such as the Social Ser- keeping Act to Svalbard, in consultation with vices Act, do not apply to Svalbard. There are also other relevant ministries. The committee that will special provisions for Svalbard that give the Gov- review the Foundation Act will also consider ernor of Svalbard the authority to refuse entry to whether it should apply to Svalbard. It will also people unable to take care of themselves. The consider to what extent the other public law ele- Introduction Act of 4 July 2003 does not apply to ments of business and company legislation should Svalbard, either, so the Longyearbyen Community be made applicable to Svalbard. This will also be Council is not obliged to offer an introduction pro- relevant in light of the development of new busi- gramme or Norwegian language training. nesses in Longyearbyen for which it may be nec- In its performance audit, the Office of the essary to consider whether the legal framework Auditor General pointed to the increased propor- for developing different types of local products tion of foreign nationals in Longyearbyen with no suits the need. ties to Norwegian municipalities on the mainland, and wondered both whether more acts of law should be made applicable and whether it will be 5.3 Specific legislative issues possible over time, given the background, to maintain the objective of not allowing Longyear- 5.3.1 Welfare legislation byen to become a cradle-to-grave community. In the previous white paper on Svalbard, how- General situation ever, it was emphasised that Longyearbyen would As discussed above, not all laws are suited to Sval- not become a cradle-to-grave community. The bard’s conditions. For one thing, central parts of Government considers it important to continue to Norwegian welfare legislation are not applicable pursue this objective, and does not intend to to Svalbard. The reasons are related to taxes and expand the range of welfare services currently the fact that immigration legislation does not provided. Norwegian nationals or families who apply to Svalbard. need services beyond those available in Svalbard Norway has several obligations under interna- must contact their home municipalities. Foreign tional law that apply to Svalbard as in other parts nationals with no ties to the Norwegian mainland of Norway. Through the Svalbard Treaty, Norway will not have this option, and must therefore con- also has certain obligations under international tact their home countries if their needs cannot be law that apply only to Svalbard. met locally. Immigration legislation is not made applicable to Svalbard. The reason for this originates in the access provision in Article 3 of the Svalbard General health legislation Treaty. No requirements for visas, residence per- Until recently, health matters in the broad sense mits or work permits are imposed on foreign were mainly governed by the Regulations of 15 nationals when entering Svalbard (see section June 1928 No. 3357 relating to medical and health 5.3.3 for a more detailed discussion). matters in Svalbard (Health Regulations), and In accordance with the overriding objective of application of general health legislation for Main- the Svalbard policy to maintain Norwegian com- land-Norway has been highly restricted. The munities in the archipelago, the tax system in Health Regulations provided the legal basis for a Svalbard must ensure competitive conditions and range of measures, such as water quality. The stimulate local business activity. Consequently, tax Longyearbyen Community Council had authority rates in Svalbard are significantly lower than on pursuant to the regulations within the Longyear- the mainland. See section 5.3.2 for a more detailed byen land-use planning area, and the Governor of discussion. Svalbard for the rest of the archipelago. The Norwegian authorities make allowance In step with the development of social condi- for a certain level of welfare benefits in Longyear- tions in Svalbard, particularly in the local commu- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 35 Svalbard nity in Longyearbyen, there has been a need for ities are also responsible for supervising activities more regulation in the area of healthcare, includ- in Svalbard, the County Governor in Troms super- ing the professional practices of healthcare per- vises healthcare personnel and the health service sonnel, and for modernising the legal basis for the in Svalbard. The Norwegian Food Safety Author- supervision of food hygiene and water quality. As ity supervises compliance with the acts relating to a result, the Ministry of Health and Care Services food and to cosmetic products and body care issued regulations on 22 June 2015 to the effect products. that several health laws and regulations must be The organisation of the health service in Sval- made fully or partly applicable to Svalbard. The bard is discussed in more detail in section 6.3.3. regulations were drawn up in cooperation with the The production and sale of alcoholic bever- ministries involved, and entered into force on 1 ages are regulated by the Regulations of 11 October 2015. Simultaneously, the health regula- December 1998 relating to the alcohol scheme for tions of 1928 were repealed. Svalbard. The production of alcohol in Svalbard The main purpose of the legislative work has used to be prohibited under an act of law from been to modernise health legislation for Svalbard 1928, but the ban was lifted in 2014 after action and bring it more in line with mainland legislation. taken by actors in Svalbard wishing to produce However, to a large extent the regulations only beer locally. Since the amendments of 2014, the establish by law practices already in place. Sval- regulations governing the production of alcohol in bard is not intended to be a cradle-to-grave com- Svalbard are now largely the same as on the main- munity. Consequently, no care services are pro- land. A licence has been granted to produce beer vided, and the health service in Svalbard is not in Longyearbyen, and Trust Arktikugol has organised in the same way as on the mainland. applied for a licence to do likewise in Barents- The purpose of the regulations has not been to burg. introduce new types of services or new entitle- ment legislation. Accordingly, neither the Act relating to health and care services nor the Act 5.3.2 Tax legislation relating to patients’ rights has been made applica- Svalbard has its own taxation regulations. The ble. Svalbard Taxation Act (Act of 29 November 1996 Under the regulations, however, the laws gov- No. 68 relating to tax payable to Svalbard) makes erning healthcare personnel, health supervision, Svalbard a separate area for tax purposes. Two the specialist health service, communicable dis- forms of taxation apply: a special withholding tax eases, public health and emergency health prepar- scheme and tax assessment. Under the withhold- edness have now been made fully or partly appli- ing tax scheme, the employer withholds a percent- cable. The same applies to the acts relating to age of gross salary and pension, and this consti- pharmacies, medicines and foods and to several tutes the final tax assessment. Income other than other acts of law. The following acts of law had salary and pension is taxed after assessment already been made fully or partly applicable: the according to the same rules that apply on the acts relating to nuclear energy activity, radiation mainland, though at lower rates. In Svalbard, sal- protection and use of radiation, patient injury ary and pension are taxed at a rate of 8 per cent up compensation, and the health authorities and to 12 G (G = National Insurance basic amount) health trusts. and at a rate of 22 per cent for income exceeding Because the health service in Svalbard is not 12 G. In addition are national insurance contribu- organised in the same way as on the mainland, tions for employees who are members of the Nor- some adaptations were also made to provisions in wegian National Insurance Scheme. Other income mainland regulations that have been made appli- such as investment income and income from self- cable to Svalbard. That is the case, for example, employment are taxed at a rate of 16 per cent. It is with regard to the Act relating to the control of important that the taxation system in Svalbard is communicable diseases and to Chapter 3 of the tailored to conditions in the archipelago and that public health act concerning environmental its basic workings ensure competitive conditions. health. In principle, Longyearbyen Hospital func- At the same time, it is important to prevent the tions as the municipal medical officer in this area, favourable tax level from being exploited to save but the regulations also assign certain tasks to the tax on investment returns that are made outside Longyearbyen Community Council. Svalbard and do not create activity or employment In accordance with the practice now generally in the archipelago. Companies with profits not followed whereby the competent mainland author- earned from returns on activity or investment in 36 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Svalbard will now be taxed for such profits at the other types of challenges than those faced by same tax rates that apply on the mainland. Mainland-Norway. The provision concerning access in Article 3 of the Svalbard Treaty does not preclude establishment of control regimes, includ- 5.3.3 Immigration legislation, nationality ing entry and exit controls, in order to monitor etc. travellers and individuals entering the archipel- As mentioned in section 3.2.5, Article 3 of the Sval- ago. The Government will consider the need to bard Treaty imposes on Norway an international introduce such regimes. obligation to treat equally nationals and compa- The previous white paper on Svalbard (Report nies from parties to the Treaty in certain areas. No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard) This applies to access to the archipelago, among described how the increasing number of foreign other things. In practice, Norway has in this area nationals in Longyearbyen created a need to con- not discriminated between nationals from the par- sider legal problems associated with foreign ties to the Treaty and nationals from other coun- nationals. This included certain issues concerning tries. Therefore, given its purpose, the legislation foreign spouses/cohabitants and children of Nor- regulating foreign nationals’ access and entry to wegian nationals and the possible need to intro- the realm is not suitable to conditions in Svalbard. duce special rules in this area. In pursuance of For this reason the Immigration Act of 15 May this, a provision was incorporated into the Immi- 2008 No. 35 and pertinent regulations have not gration Regulations (subsection 11–4 (b)) in 2010 been made applicable to Svalbard. stipulating that a long period of residence in Sval- No work permit, residence permit or visa is bard may be taken into consideration when calcu- required to travel to Svalbard. Furthermore, Sval- lating the required period of residence for qualify- bard is not included in the Schengen cooperation. ing for a permanent residence permit in Norway. The rules on entry and exit control across the The other conditions for granting a permanent external Schengen border therefore apply to residence permit must also be met. There are cur- travel between the Norwegian mainland and Sval- rently no plans to make further amendments to bard. Pursuant to section 6 of the Immigration Act these regulations in favour of foreign nationals. and subsection 1–15 of the Immigration Regula- The Government will monitor the situation to tions, identity checks have been implemented on determine whether the provision works as departure from and arrival at the airports in intended, and in light of that will continuously Tromsø and Oslo. Therefore, foreign nationals assess the possible need to tighten the rules. who reside Svalbard must, like other foreign The Act of 10 June 2005 No. 51 relating to Nor- nationals, comply with the provisions in the Immi- wegian nationality (Norwegian Nationality Act) gration Act when travelling between Mainland- generally applies to Norwegian nationality and Norway and Svalbard, and foreign nationals sub- also covers Svalbard. This act requires legal resi- ject to visa requirements must have a visa when dence on the mainland in accordance with immi- travelling to the mainland. Today, the Governor of gration legislation before applications for acquir- Svalbard issues such visas upon application, in ing Norwegian nationality may be granted. The accordance with section 13 of the Immigration Norwegian Nationality Act prescribes no special Act. rules for persons with foreign nationality who The purpose of the rules in the Immigration reside in Svalbard. Persons wishing to apply for Regulations is to meet Norway’s obligation to con- Norwegian nationality must meet the terms of the trol the external borders of the Schengen Area. act, including those governing residence permits, However, the need may also arise for control sys- in the same manner as other applicants. Entitle- tems affecting travellers to and from the archipel- ment to Norwegian nationality may therefore not ago itself, for reasons of national security. In addi- be based solely on residence in Svalbard. Foreign tion to its own domestic needs, Norway has inter- nationals born in Svalbard or who reside in the national obligations to monitor activities on Nor- archipelago for a long period will not be granted wegian territory. The need for control is not fully Norwegian nationality on this basis alone. There met by the legislation for Mainland-Norway. This are no plans to change these rules. is because the mainland controls will not identify individuals travelling to Svalbard via other coun- tries. Moreover, in some cases there may be a 5.3.4 Legislation on rejection and expulsion wish to carry out controls in Svalbard. One reason As mentioned above, the Immigration Act does for this is that Svalbard may have to deal with not apply to Svalbard, and therefore no visa or 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 37 Svalbard other requirements are needed to travel there. Nonetheless, this does not mean that everyone 5.3.5 Education Act and Kindergarten Act has an unconditional right to reside in Svalbard. In the Regulations of 18 January 2007 No. 76 relat- The Governor of Svalbard may, inter alia, refuse ing to primary and secondary education and entry to or expel persons who lack sufficient upper secondary education in Svalbard, the Minis- means to remain there or who are unable to take try of Education and Research stipulated that the adequate care of themselves. Persons suspected Act of 17 July 1998 No. 61 relating to primary and or convicted of violating laws that apply to Sval- secondary education and training (the Education bard may also be refused entry or expelled under Act) and pertinent regulations were applicable to certain conditions. This follows from the Regula- primary and secondary education and upper sec- tions of 3 February 1995 laid down with legal ondary education in Svalbard in so far as they are basis in the Svalbard Act. The regulations also suited to local conditions. Under these regula- contain provisions regarding expulsion. tions, children of Norwegian nationals have the Regulations were laid down by Royal Decree same right and obligation to attend primary and on 7 August 2015 relating to the rejection from lower secondary school while residing in Svalbard Svalbard of persons who were subject to travel as they would have on the mainland. Children of restrictions. These regulations were issued to foreign nationals have a right, but not an obliga- make it possible to prevent persons designated as tion, to attend primary and lower secondary ‘listed persons’ from residing in Svalbard. The school while residing in the archipelago. The regulations apply to persons subject to travel Longyearbyen Community Council (LCC) has restrictions adopted by the UN Security Council responsibility for providing education in Long- or who are covered by international restrictive yearbyen. It follows from the regulations that the measures thet Norway has aligned itself with. LCC must fulfil the right to primary and lower sec- Such persons will be refused entry by the Gover- ondary education and that it may also provide nor of Svalbard on arrival or at a subsequent point upper secondary education. In Barentsburg, the in time. mining company Trust Arktikugol provides edu- The background for the adoption of specific cation for the children of its employees. regulations governing travel restrictions relating The Act of 17 June 2005 No. 64 relating to kin- to Svalbard is that – unlike Mainland-Norway – dergartens does not apply to Svalbard. Nonethe- Svalbard is not part of the Schengen Area; see sec- less, two conditions for the LCC’s receiving appro- tion 3.3.1. This means that the Schengen entry priations from the national budget are that the control system has no relevance for persons who intentions in the act determine how the kindergar- travel directly to Svalbard from areas outside the tens in Longyearbyen are run and that no signifi- Schengen Area. The need to implement travel cant distinction be permitted between the opera- restrictions for Svalbard has been limited because tion of kindergartens in Longyearbyen and on the most people travelling to the archipelago have mainland. This is discussed in the Government’s done so via Mainland-Norway. In such instances, budget proposal for Svalbard for 2016 (Prop. 1 S listed persons would be identified through the (2015–2016), p. 28. See also section 6.3. Schengen reulations before they reach Svalbard. Guidelines are needed on what the Longyear- All scheduled air traffic to Svalbard goes via Main- byen Community Council should provide in these land-Norway. However, it is possible to arrive at areas. The objective is for Longyearbyen to be a the archipelago by charter plane or boat without viable local community, and today it is a commu- travelling via the Schengen Area. The Govern- nity that provides a good range of services. None- ment attaches importance to ensuring that sanc- theless, the special community frameworks dis- tions and restrictive measures with which Norway cussed in section 6.3 determine the scale of the has aligned itself must be enforceable throughout services to be provided and, consequently, what the country, including Svalbard. the inhabitants should expect. Moreover, the Gov- The regulations are temporary, and will be ernment has no objective to expand the range of repealed on 31 August 2016. The Government is services beyond that currently offered. considering the issue of control regimes for Sval- The issue of which provisions in the Education bard, including the introduction of permanent leg- Act and pertinent regulations are suited to those islation to prevent listed persons from residing on frameworks is decided by the Ministry of Educa- Svalbard. tion and Research. The Ministry of Education and Research has permitted certain organisational 38 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard deviations from the Education Act with regard to In addition, it is proposed that rules ensuring suit- teacher hours, subjects and levels. able, individually adapted kindergarten availabil- With regard to children and young people with ity for children with disabilities be incorporated special needs, the Education Act currently pro- into the Kindergarten Act. This duty corresponds vides for special education assistance for children to the municipalities’ duty under the Anti-Discrim- in kindergartens and for special tuition for pupils ination and Accessibility Act to provide individual in primary, lower secondary and upper secondary accommodation in municipal kindergartens. The schools. Given that the LCC is not obliged to pro- rules in this act providing for universal design and vide upper secondary education, however, it has individual accommodation currently do not apply been decided that Chapter 5 of the Education Act, to Svalbard. It is proposed to incorporate today’s concerning special education, should not be four acts of law dealing with equality and anti-dis- applied to upper secondary education. The minis- crimination, including the Anti-Discrimination and try has nevertheless urged the council to do as Accessibility Act, into one single act covering much as possible to adapt its upper secondary equality and anti-discrimination. It is proposed instruction, to the degree local conditions permit, that the exemptions that already apply to Svalbard for the benefit of pupils with special needs. will continue to apply in the new act of law, but a Regarding the physical environment, the Anti- separate assessment is needed as to whether the Discrimination and Accessibility Act provides for rules for individual accommodation in schools and individual accommodation for people with disabili- kindergartens should apply to Svalbard. ties, but these provisions are not made to apply to The Child Welfare Act applies to Svalbard, Svalbard. However, the Education Act also pro- though with special rules laid down in the Regula- vides for individual accommodation for pupils with tions of 1 September 1995 No. 772 relating to disabilities, and these apply to Svalbard in so far application of the Child Welfare Act to the archi- as they are suited to local conditions. pelago. Norway’s local government reform The development of Longyearbyen as a family includes plans to change the quality and structure community, albeit with special conditions, means of the child welfare services in a way that entails a that there is now a need to clarify the Longyear- redistribution of responsibilities between central byen Community Council’s obligations under the and local government. Here, too, a special assess- Education Act and the Kindergarten Act in ment will be needed to determine the effect of respect of children of both Norwegian nationals such changes on Svalbard. and foreign nationals. This has gained particular In dialogue with the Longyearbyen Commu- salience since several amendments have been pro- nity Council and others, the Government will con- posed to both of those acts of law. It has been pro- tinue its work clarifying the council’s obligations posed to transfer the duty to provide special edu- in these areas. See also section 6.3.4 for further cation assistance to children under school age discussion. from the Education Act to the Kindergarten Act. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 39 Svalbard

6 Longyearbyen

6.1 Introduction million. The funds are used to maintain Norwe- gian presence and activity in Longyearbyen, and One of the overriding objectives of the Svalbard not least to develop and support commercial pro- policy is maintaining Norwegian communities in jects that are compatible with and support the the archipelago. This objective is achieved objectives of the Svalbard policy. through the family-oriented community life in The Longyearbyen Community Council has a Longyearbyen. key role in the restructuring process, and there is Longyearbyen is not a cradle-to-grave commu- close dialogue between the council and Innovation nity, and there are clear limits to the services that Norway. It follows from Section 29 of the Svalbard should be made available for residents of the com- Act that the council’s task is rational and efficient munity. This is reflected in the archipelago’s low administration of the public interest pursued level of taxation and the fact that the Norwegian within the Svalbard policy framework, with the Immigration Act does not apply here. The Govern- aim of environmentally sound and sustainable ment’s aim is for Longyearbyen to remain a viable local community development. The Longyearbyen local community that is attractive to families and Community Council has been awarded NOK 4.5 helps to achieve and sustain the overriding objec- million of the restructuring package to strengthen tives of the Svalbard policy. its effort to develop the local community further. Continued development within existing activ- The Svalbard Chamber of Commerce, with its ity will contribute to this. It is nonetheless desira- knowledge of the local conditions and economy, ble to facilitate growth of a broader and more has been awarded NOK 0.5 million. Another NOK diversified economy. In connection with the esti- 3 million has been allocated to development of a mated accounts for the 2015 central government business and innovation strategy directed by the budget, NOK 50 million was allocated to meas- Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. In ures that will help enable restructuring and rapid addition, the Longyearbyen Community Council employment in Longyearbyen. An important rea- has been awarded NOK 22 million to reduce the son for this decision was the challenging situation maintenance backlog in infrastructure while con- faced by the coal company Store Norske Spitsber- tributing effectively to construction-sector gen Grubekompani (SNSG) and the conse- employment. quences for Longyearbyen. Many jobs have The Government emphasises that efforts to already been lost as a result of the situation. When restructure Longyearbyen have been going on for downsizing of the company began in 2011, there a long time. At the start of the 1990s, Longyear- were approximately 350 employees in the corpo- byen was described as a ‘one-industry town’ (see rate group. A large part of them, however, com- Report No. 50 (1990–1991) to the Storting). Ten muted between Svea and the mainland. For as years later, during consideration of Report. No. 9 long as the operating pause continues, there will (1999–2000) to the Storting (see Recommendation be about 100 employees in the company, including No. 196 S (1999–2000)), it was determined that the activity at Mine 7 and administrative staff. many of the conditions that previously had justified Implementation of the operating pause will be calling Longyearbyen a one-industry town had determined one year at a time, but not beyond changed. A better range of public services had 2019. It must be assumed that a reduction in reve- sprung up, and the community had also gained a nue on such a scale will have consequences for broader business base. In addition to the mining other activities in Longyearbyen. The circum- operations, there had been a rise in tourism, stances surrounding the SNSK group are research and higher education, space-related activ- described in more detail in Chapter 9, ‘Economic ity and other enterprises. Although services in activity’. Of the restructuring package’s NOK 50 some areas, such as healthcare, are limited, Long- million, Innovation Norway was awarded NOK 20 yearbyen today is seen as a local community with a 40 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard well-developed public infrastructure, good public of environmental risk. Good infrastructure is also services and a broad-based, diverse economy. vital to job creation and stimulating economic The Government wants this trend to continue development. It is therefore important to within the framework of the overriding objectives approach Longyearbyen’s further development in of the Svalbard policy, so that in future the com- a step-by-step fashion, with ongoing assessment of munity will continue to possess the character, the effects of the SNSK group’s reorganisation on breadth and variety that make living in Longyear- the community of Longyearbyen and with atten- byen attractive, thereby supporting the objective tion paid to what additional development in vari- of maintaining Norwegian communities in the ous areas would mean for infrastructure capacity. archipelago. The avalanche disaster on 19 December 2015 The Government does not, however, wish to reinforces the importance of such development. facilitate a form of growth that quickly triggers a The avalanche made more urgent the work of cli- need for heavy investment in new infrastructure mate-adapted land development and of freeing up such as water supply and heat and electric power space in the centre of Longyearbyen for residen- production. Establishing and maintaining infra- tial use. Coordinated action will have positive structure in an Arctic climate is costly, and the effects for the Longyearbyen community while Longyearbyen Community Council already faces facilitating desired economic growth. It is of cen- significant challenges maintaining existing infra- tral importance that the plans prepared for eco- structure. Significant investments in recent years nomic development be balanced against this land- have also been made in energy provision to use planning effort. ensure continued stable production of electricity Growth of the community beyond today’s level and heat. The sum total of the investments under- is not an objective. It is important, though, that taken over many years provides Norway as a the character, breadth and diversity of the com- whole with an infrastructure at 78° N not found munity make it an attractive place to live, thereby anywhere else at the same latitude. supporting the objective of maintaining Norwe- The central government has long borne a spe- gian communities in the archipelago. cial responsibility for the development of infra- Within this framework, there will be a need for structure in Svalbard. Relevant reference is made some expansion and accommodation of suitable to Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting (see development in selected areas. Recommendation No. 336 S (2008–2009)), in which the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs stated: ‘The committee refers in this context to the 6.2 Areas for further development strong national interests and international legal obligations associated with the archipelago, and to The central government authorities are responsi- the resulting requirement of strong state involve- ble for the overarching development framework in ment. This should apply in particular to upgrading the archipelago through such measures as legisla- and construction of heavy infrastructure as well as tion and central government budget allocations. energy supplies and port facilities.’ The development work is carried out locally, how- The Government wishes therefore to empha- ever. The Longyearbyen Community Council is an sise the importance, now and in future, of strong important actor in this regard, cooperating, for state involvement in the further development of example, with Innovation Norway and the Sval- strategic infrastructure in the archipelago. bard Chamber of Commerce. Coal mining has The introduction and growth of activity at the been a cornerstone in maintaining the Longyear- University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) exemplify byen community. It is unlikely that one type of the development of infrastructure that has also con- activity alone will be able to offset the loss of jobs tributed significantly to the development of the in coal mining. It is therefore important to con- Longyearbyen community. UNIS has 110 perma- tinue investing in existing operations, while also nent employees (2015), several adjunct professor/ paving the way for new and varied activities. adjunct associate professor positions and a number There has long been a deliberate focus on facilitat- of visiting researchers. The employees and their ing research and higher education, tourism, families in combination with UNIS students consti- space-related activity and various other activities. tute about 25 per cent of Longyearbyen’s popula- This has produced good results. Going forward, tion. For further discussion of UNIS, see Chapter 8. the Government wants to accommodate further A well-functioning infrastructure is essential development of activities that can help achieve the for value creation, security and an acceptable level objective of maintaining Norwegian communities 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 41 Svalbard in the archipelago. This will lay the groundwork in there. With Longyearbyen now undergoing a the long run for a more robust community. restructuring process, it is natural that one of the industries being facilitated is tourism. Develop- ment of tourism products in Svalbard must 6.2.1 Tourism: Longyearbyen and include the development of new services and surrounding areas products and of more and better-adapted informa- Tourism is one of the principal industries in Sval- tion. This particularly applies to the areas closest bard. The tourism industry experienced growth in to Longyearbyen, its planning area and the adjoin- recent years and is an important contributor to ing areas. But it is also important to facilitate envi- employment in Longyearbyen. Both the city and ronmentally sensitive tourism within the Isfjorden the areas around it offer significant tourist experi- area and Management Area 10, where both Long- ence value associated with the unique natural yearbyen and the other communities are located environment and cultural heritage sites located (see Figure 6.1).

Figure 6.1 Management Area 10. Map: Norwegian Polar Institute 42 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

The development of new tourism products tions in Isfjorden. It is important, in any event, must be sustainable and take place within the lim- that such facilities be adapted to their surround- its established by the environmental objectives, ings and that comprehensive evaluations of scale, safety regulations and other regulations in Sval- location and environmental impact be undertaken. bard. For the nature-based tourism industry, it is Tourism companies are in discussion with the also important to preserve what is unique about Governor about some of these ideas. Svalbard’s natural environment. Within this Non-motorised tourism packages offering framework there is scope for further development activities such as dogsledding, with Longyearbyen of tourism in Longyearbyen. The Government will as their base, have undergone significant develop- facilitate the development of tourism in Manage- ment, and are now experiencing growing demand. ment Area 10, which includes Isfjorden and the The potential exists for further development and areas surrounding the communities (see Figure growth of such travel products as dogsledding 6.1). Local actors in the tourism industry have and skiing trips. Consistent with the objective of drawn up a master plan for tourism in Svalbard. It limiting motorised traffic in Svalbard, the Govern- includes elements that could be relevant in future ment will facilitate this by, for example, exploring development. opportunities for increased use of the large snow- For tourism in Longyearbyen to be able to mobile-free area. grow, Longyearbyen must be developed as an The Government will also secure natural arena for visitor experience with a varied range of places of interest and cultural heritage sites in the activity and experiences made available to visitors. immediate vicinity of Longyearbyen that are Development of attractions in the vicinity of Long- important for tourism and the local inhabitants. A yearbyen will provide an important supplement to project will accordingly be initiated to assess the the existing range of activity, especially during the need for greater protection of areas in the lower polar night. An expanded offering of interesting Adventdalen that are especially rich in bird life. At attractions might entice tourists to stay longer than the same time, simple adaptations will be consid- they usually do today. Prolonged stays would result ered in nearby areas in the form of sherpa trails in increased revenue per visitor, which is positive and similar measures to make nature and cultural for the business community in Longyearbyen. The sites in the areas more accessible. By making use ratio of revenue to environmental impact associ- of the leeway provided by existing regulations and ated with tourist transport to and from the archi- objectives, the Government will ensure sound and pelago would also improve. Increased focus on predictable framework conditions for tourism in year-round tourism would also be important for the Longyearbyen. local community in Longyearbyen. There is also a need for more long-term plans Among the things the tourism industry wants for the use of Management Area 10. Management to develop (see the master plan for tourism from plans for this area, including both protected and 2015) are products related to commercial tourism unprotected areas, will therefore be prepared. cabins. In 2007, permission was granted under the The Governor has been asked to initiate this Svalbard Environmental Protection Act for the work. The purpose is to facilitate and manage use establishment of three commercial cabins for use of the area so that the objectives of increased local by the tourism industry in Svalbard. Creating value creation and positive visitor experiences are more such cabins may be appropriate as part of fulfilled, even as appreciation for Svalbard’s the further development of tourism in Svalbard. unique environmental qualities is increased and Such a process would then be based on the same cultural heritage assets are maintained. principles and central criteria as the process from Food culture, too, can be of interest in travel 2007, with localisation within Management Area product development. Several actors in Svalbard 10 and outside established protected areas, open want to be able to provide local food to their cus- advertisement of the plan, a limited number of per- tomers, such as meat from Svalbard reindeer and mits and a set of criteria for evaluating projects. fish from Isfjorden. Such measures contribute The tourism companies in Svalbard have aired both to improving the tourism product and reduc- a number of ideas for different types of temporary ing the environmental impact associated with the facilities for overnight or daytime visits in winter transport of food. All harvesting in any case must within Management Area 10. Such facilities can take place within the framework of environmental increase the breadth and scope of tourism prod- regulations. Beer brewing and local production of ucts and services. The same can be said of accom- chocolate demonstrate that there is demand for modating vessel disembarkation at selected loca- products with a local connection. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 43 Svalbard

For further discussion see Chapter 7, ‘Envi- ronmental protection’, and Chapter 9, ‘Economic 6.2.2 Relocation of public-sector jobs activity’. The Government is considering the possibility of relocating public-sector jobs to Longyearbyen as a

Box 6.1 Fredheim: The trapping station that was relocated

Figure 6.2 Fredheim. Photo: Helene Mokkelbost, Office of the Governor of Svalbard

Fredheim in Sassenfjorden was the trapping sta- during the moving process. In April 2015 all the tion of the renowned trapper Hilmar Nøis. He buildings were hauled by tracked vehicle across spent 38 seasons in Svalbard, 35 of them as a snow-covered terrain up onto the brink east of wintering trapper. Fredheim was his main sta- the station, and in the summer of 2015 Fredheim tion, and where he wintered most often. were reassembled internally and externally. All The trapping station consists of the main work was performed according to antiquarian house, Villa Fredheim (begun in 1924 and com- guidelines. pleted in 1927), Gammelhytta (built by Fredrik The relocation itself went smoothly, without Antonsen and Simon Ingebrigtsen in 1908), and damage to the buildings, thanks to good plan- an outbuilding constructed at the same time as ning and execution. The building group looks the villa and used as an emergency cabin. Fred- much as it did before, and there are no scars in heim is a popular destination for residents and the terrain. visitors alike in snowmobile season. The Governor, as the responsible authority, For many years shore erosion had crept must preserve a representative assortment of towards the trapping station. Had nothing been cultural heritage sites as a reference base and done, the buildings would have been swallowed source of experience for future generations. by the sea. Various measures were considered, Svalbard’s harsh climate is a constant threat to including erosion prevention and moving of the buildings and equipment. Climate change may buildings. Gammelhytta was moved six metres intensify this threat. Conscious prioritisation is from the shore’s edge in 2001, but was still not needed to ensure breadth and representative- safe. ness for the future. Actual planning for moving Fredheim The Fredheim trapping station is one of the started in autumn 2013. Relocation of the station most distinctive and valuable artefacts of cul- was cleared by the Directorate for Cultural Her- tural history in Svalbard. That is why it was so itage and the Norwegian Environment Agency, important to keep the buildings from being and the project began in earnest in spring 2014. destroyed by shore erosion. The project cost In the summer of 2014 the buildings were about NOK 2 million and was funded by the jacked up on steel beams and braced internally, Governor and the Ministry of Climate and Envi- while the floors were removed to avoid damage ronment. 44 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard contribution to attaining the objective of maintain- three quays: Gamlekaia (the Old Quay), Kullkaia ing Norwegian communities in the archipelago. (the Coal Quay) and Bykaia (the Town Quay). In As a start, the Norwegian Consumer Council is addition, Turistkaia (the Tourist Quay) has been considering establishing three to five office posi- installed as a floating dock of plastic material. tions in Longyearbyen as part of the agency’s Bykaia and Turistkaia constitute Longyearbyen’s reorganisation. The office will answer directly to public port service, and are the port facilities for the council’s Tromsø office. heavy cargo and passenger/cruise traffic. At an extraordinary meeting on 19 February Today there is limited capacity at the port facil- 2016 the Ministry of Health and Care Services ities in Longyearbyen, despite relatively heavy gave Norsk Helsenett SF (Norwegian Health Net- traffic to be accommodated in a short season. The work) the task of planning for the creation of a capacity limit at Bykaia, which serves the larger central service centre providing administrative tourist and cargo vessels, was reached already in services to the central health and care services 2005. The number of ships that had to lie at administration as part of its activity. The service anchor in the 2012–2015 seasons varied between centre will be responsible for key functions 134 and 179. The total number of port calls in that related to procurement, ICT and records/docu- period ranged from 812 to 1,163. This results in ment management. Norsk Helsenett SF’s assign- clear limits to whether and how long each cruise ment involves creating a time schedule and work ship may dock, and by extension, the degree to plan to establish the service centre by 1 June 2016 which the local economy can take advantage of at the latest. the cruise traffic. The assignment calls for the service centre to Longyearbyen’s port infrastructure was dis- be established in the Oslo area, with redistribu- cussed in Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Stort- tion of certain services at a later date to the state- ing Svalbard, where it was pointed out that Long- owned enterprise’s other locations in Trondheim yearbyen, because of increased commercial and and Tromsø, or to Svalbard. industrial activity in the Arctic, should expect to gain in importance as a base for rescue and pollu- tion-control preparedness and for maritime ser- 6.2.3 Port development vices. Since 2009, the need for expanded port Maritime traffic around Svalbard at present con- capacity has grown. The trend in recent years sists largely of cruise and cargo traffic, research- shows increasing maritime traffic to the Arctic, related shipping and some traffic tied to fisheries both in number and in scale, especially for cruise activity. The trend in recent years has been of gen- traffic. erally increasing traffic. Longyearbyen today has

1 400

1 200

1 000

800

600

400

200

0 2011 2011 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 2013 2014 2005 2015

Figure 6.3 Increase in the number of Longyearbyen port calls since 2000. Source: Longyearbyen Community Council. The figure for 2015 is for the period up to 15 November 2015. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 45 Svalbard

Figure 6.4 Cruise ship in Longyearbyen’s port. Photo: Ståle Nylund, Office of the Governor of Svalbard

A number of studies have been conducted Longyearbyen’s projected maritime traffic, thus locally to identify and document challenges and contributing to further developing of the local opportunities for additional port development in economy. On the basis of the proposals submitted Longyearbyen. As a result, the Longyearbyen by the NCA, the Government will determine how Community Council has drafted proposals for new to proceed in developing port infrastructure in port infrastructure that have been submitted to Longyearbyen. the Ministry of Transport and Communications. In the current National Transport Plan (NTP) (see Meld. St. 26 (2012–2013) National Transport 6.2.4 Svalbard Science Centre Plan 2014–2023), up to NOK 200 million in state The Svalbard Science Centre opened in 2005 and funds have been set aside in the plan period for is the main arena for education and research in upgrading and new construction of port infra- Longyearbyen. The University Centre in Svalbard structure in Longyearbyen, based on a cost esti- (UNIS) is located at the centre. In addition to mate of NOK 400 million. It is further assumed UNIS, the centre hosts the Norwegian Polar Insti- local actors and private business may contribute tute, the Svalbard Science Forum (Research to the projects’ realisation. In the 2016 central gov- Council of Norway), the Svalbard Museum and ernment budget, NOK 15 million has been set the national cultural history magazine, as well as aside for planning of new port infrastructure in the University of Tromsø, Akvaplan-niva, the Longyearbyen. The Norwegian Coastal Adminis- Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing tration (NCA) has been tasked with assessing Center, the Institute of Marine Research, the Nor- concepts proposed by the Longyearbyen Commu- wegian University of Science and Technology, nity Council for upgrading port infrastructure. SINTEF, the Japan National Institute for Polar The NCA’s report is scheduled to be available in Research and the student welfare association. See October 2016. discussion of the key actors in Chapter 8, ‘Knowl- The aim of the NCA’s work is to study the type edge, research and higher education’. Research in of port infrastructure necessary to accommodate Svalbard is important to the advancement of 46 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard understanding in many subjects, and has helped more central areas of Longyearbyen for other expand frontiers in several scientific disciplines. potential use, such as housing. It is also the Long- UNIS has received support from the Ministry of yearbyen Community Council’s wish to develop Foreign Affairs to establish a new Arctic Safety Hotellneset into a future business park and to Centre in Longyearbyen. The Arctic Safety Centre accommodate new economic activity there. A pre- is a collaboration between the Norwegian Univer- requisite for developing the area is facilitation of sity of Science and Technology, SINTEF, the Nor- infrastructure, such as electricity and water sup- wegian Polar Institute, the Governor of Svalbard, ply. There is uncertainty as to the extent of pollu- Pole Position Logistics, SvalSat, the Longyear- tion in the ground and the clean-up costs. Accord- byen Community Council, Lufttransport and Visit ing to the Longyearbyen Community Council, Svalbard. potential development of Hotellneset will also The establishment, and subsequent expan- require construction of a warehouse to store coal. sion, of the Svalbard Science Centre has contrib- Efforts to free up space in the centre of Long- uted to a significant amount of activity with posi- yearbyen have been further highlighted by the tive repercussions in Longyearbyen. It draws not avalanche disaster in December 2015. A number only students and employees, but also tourists and of houses were destroyed and cannot be rebuilt in local residents who are increasingly using what it the area they occupied before the avalanche. This has to offer, including popular science lectures has created a new situation which, in the view of and the Svalbard Museum. A 2014 evaluation1 of the Longyearbyen Community Council, requires the Svalbard Science Centre shows that it is also rapid creation of new residential areas that will widely used for entertaining and important visits, mean reallocating other land. The Government and concludes that the centre has contributed to a therefore proposes to increase the allocation by more diverse economy. NOK 10 million for residential construction and The unique natural environment and geo- land development in Longyearbyen. Reallocation graphic location, the long polar traditions and the undertaken in coordinated fashion should pro- good access to modern infrastructure make Sval- duce positive effects for the Longyearbyen com- bard an attractive platform for both Norwegian munity while facilitating the desired economic and international Arctic research. This is an area development. The council is therefore consider- in which Norway has an outstanding opportunity ing undertaking a speedy examination of land use to contribute to the development of global knowl- in Longyearbyen and initiating the work of laying edge. There is a strong interest in research, and out new infrastructure. active publication, dissemination and information are vital if this knowledge is to be shared and used. Presentation of research to a broad audi- 6.2.6 Energy supply ence will contribute to this; likewise, conveying Supplying energy, both heat and electricity, is one what is unique about scientific research and of the Longyearbyen Community Council’s most knowledge production in Svalbard could provide important tasks, and also one of the most costly. support to other activities, such as tourism. The Longyearbyen power plant is a coal-fired cogeneration station dating from 1983 that sup- plies electricity and district heating for the whole 6.2.5 Land development in Longyearbyen of Longyearbyen. The power plant is owned by The Longyearbyen Community Council is work- the Longyearbyen Community Council. To stabi- ing on new land-use plan for Longyearbyen. This lise operations and extend the power plant’s life work will provide the framework for future devel- cycle, a large-scale project of maintenance and opment in Longyearbyen. As part of the process upgrades has been initiated. The state is covering the Longyearbyen Community Council is consid- about two-thirds of the costs of this work. ering moving industry-related operations from the The overall energy load of the community is port area known as Sjøområdet to Hotellneset, a large. The power plant currently supplies both nearby peninsula, creating at the same time a electricity and district heating at near its maxi- ‘greener’ Longyearbyen. This will free up space in mum capacity. Demand growth in Longyearbyen could trigger a need for substantial investments in energy production. Establishment and mainte- 1 ‘Svalbard forskningspark: Etterevaluering, desember 2014’ nance of infrastructure in an Arctic climate is (Svalbard Science Centre: Ex-post evaluation, December 2014). Erik Whist, Gro Holst Volden, Knut Samset, Morten costly, and the Longyearbyen Community Council Welde and Inger Lise Tyholt Grindvoll (NTNU 2014). already faces challenges in maintaining existing 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 47 Svalbard infrastructure. The Government therefore does not want to encourage growth that would quickly Box 6.2 Seed vault trigger a need for major investment in infrastruc- ture such as water supply, heating and power gen- The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is an under- eration systems. It is therefore important that ground facility for long-term and back-up pres- work continue on maintaining existing infrastruc- ervation of duplicate seeds from the world’s ture and energy efficiency. seed collections. The seed vault, established The upgrading of the power plant, which in 2008, is owned by the Norwegian state and started in 2013, is expected to extend the plant’s administered by the Ministry of Agriculture life cycle by 20–25 years from the start of the and Food. The Norwegian Directorate of Pub- upgrade. In the 2012–2014 period, funds were lic Construction and Property, or Statsbygg, also allocated for the construction of equipment to operates the facility, while the Nordic Genetic scrub the plant’s emissions of pollutants such as Resource Centre (NordGen) coordinates the sulphur and particulates. CO2 emissions at the admission of seeds. The seed vault is the larg- Longyearbyen coal plant are high in comparison est of its kind, storing more than 870,000 seed to the amount of energy produced. Over time, samples from the world’s most important UNIS has developed expertise on CO2 storage crops in 2015. That year, more than 40 per possibilities in Adventdalen. The aim of the pro- cent of agricultural plant genes were secured ject has been to investigate whether it is possible here, and new seed samples continue to be to store CO2 in Adventdalen. The project has also added three to four times each year. The aim aimed to facilitate CO2 research and methodology of Norwegian ownership is to create predicta- development. The calculations and simulations ble and secure conditions for the preservation conducted so far indicate provisionally that it is of as much genetic diversity as possible in probably possible to store CO2 in Adventdalen crops that are important to food and agricul- without CO2 leakage occurring, but that further ture, and thereby to improve global food secu- testing is necessary to be certain. The project has rity. The seed vault generates considerable concluded for the time being. international interest, and has raised aware- ness about the importance of protecting genetic material, as well as about Svalbard and 6.2.7 Water supply Norway, in part due to media coverage around Isdammen, a reservoir, is Longyearbyen’s only the world. For the Norwegian Government, it source of drinking water. The Longyearbyen Com- is important to maintain a long-term perspec- munity Council is responsible for its operation and tive in preserving the seed collections in the maintenance as well as for risks associated with vault. any dam breach and/or water loss. Issues related to sedimentation and leakage are among the sig- nificant challenges at Isdammen. The Longyear- byen Community Council has initiated work to secure this drinking water source for the years to Longyearbyen should continue to be developed as come. Isdammen is also the only water source a qualitatively good community with welfare and from the beginning of September to the beginning other services tailored to the community’s size of July each year. The council wants eventually to and structure, all within an environmentally establish a reserve water source or other solution acceptable framework. ‘Robust family commu- so water can be supplied if something unforeseen nity’ is the phrase often used. It was also deter- should happen to the primary water source. The mined that Longyearbyen was not to become a council will have the issue examined in the spring cradle-to-grave community with fully developed of 2016, with engineering and planning of a future service offerings, and that such a policy was both reserve source to follow. a prerequisite for the low tax rate and a conse- quence of there being no requirement in Svalbard for foreign nationals to hold work or residence 6.3 Provision of services permits. The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs said in its consideration of the Svalbard 6.3.1 In general white paper (Recommendation No. 336 S (2008– In the previous white paper (Report No. 22 (2008– 2009) that «(...) these factors mean that the com- 2009) to the Storting Svalbard) it was stated that munity frameworks must necessarily be some- 48 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Figure 6.5 Camp Svalbard offers outdoor camp weekends, summer and winter, for youth aged 13 to 18 who are residents of Svalbard. Participants experience Svalbard’s natural landscape in safety, with competent instructors and leaders. Photo: Marianne Stokkereit Aasen/Longyearbyen Community Council what different than for local communities on the kindergartens and the child and family service. A mainland, and the committee believes this is an number of other services and facilities, including appropriate form of organisation». Longyearbyen a library, a sports and swimming hall, a cultural today is seen as a local community with well-devel- centre and a youth club, are also provided by the oped infrastructure and good services. The ‘nor- community council. malisation’ that has guided community develop- Additional services in Longyearbyen are sup- ment here in recent years has, in the Govern- plied by others, including both public and private ment’s view, been successful, and Longyearbyen agencies. Examples include infrastructure-related currently exhibits the characteristics of a ‘robust services, such as the airport and data and tele- family community’, with services tailored to its communications, and service functions such as needs. There is no intention to develop services banking and postal services. Longyearbyen also beyond the current level. has a varied assortment of shops, dining and over- Services in Longyearbyen are seen to by both night accommodation, restaurants and other central and local actors. Basic services are pro- entertainment spots. vided by the Longyearbyen Community Council, The Government will continue to facilitate a Longyearbyen Hospital, the Governor of Svalbard low taxation level in Svalbard. In conjunction with and several other actors. The Longyearbyen Com- other framework conditions, this gives an indica- munity Council also provides all infrastructure tion of the intended service level in Longyear- services inside the Longyearbyen land-use plan- byen, and of its continued limitation with compari- ning area. It is also responsible for the school, the son to the mainland. For the foreseeable future, 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 49 Svalbard therefore, Longyearbyen will not become a cradle- Svalbard Church is located in Longyearbyen, to-grave community. and is part of the Church of Norway. The church is open to all, and is also a resource for the other Svalbard communities. The church is an impor- 6.3.2 Cultural activity tant culture-bearing institution in the local com- Culture and sports are strong focal points in Long- munity, and a cultural actor as well. The church yearbyen. Although institutionalised cultural serves a unifying function, especially when acci- offerings are naturally limited, the cultural life is dents or disasters strike, and it plays a central role extensive, with wide-ranging and diverse options. in emergency preparedness. It is important that These include both professional organisations and Svalbard Church be maintained as part of the cul- voluntary activity in most parts of the cultural tural and social foundation of the community in field. Longyearbyen and the other inhabitated locations The Longyearbyen Cultural Centre contains in Svalbard. both cinema and stage. Galleri Svalbard presents permanent and temporary art exhibitions. The gallery also offers a residence for visiting artists. 6.3.3 Health and welfare services Longyearbyen has a public library, and the Sval- The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority, bard Museum displays exhibits from Svalbard’s through the University Hospital of North Norway culture and history to the present day. The North- (UNN Tromsø), is responsible for public health ern Norway Art Museum has established Kun- services in Svalbard. The University Hospital of sthall Svalbard at the Svalbard Museum, for tem- North Norway-Longyearbyen Hospital (UNN porary contemporary art exhibitions. The North- Longyearbyen) provides essential health services. ern Norway Art Museum is also considering the The healthcare service in the archipelago is possibility of establishing an artist residence/ organised differently from the system in the Nor- guest studio in order to accommodate artists who wegian mainland, where municipalities are wish to work there. required to ensure that an array of local health The cultural arts school offers children and and care services is provided. The Longyearbyen young people fully qualified instruction in a vari- Community Council does not have such a respon- ety of cultural subjects. There is a broad spectrum sibility. Longyearbyen Hospital provides some of clubs and associations, including several sports types of service not normally provided in hospi- teams. Sporting facilities include a multi-purpose tals; see below. Longyearbyen is not a community hall and a swimming hall. with services available for all phases of life, so It is important that residents in Svalbard have care services and other services of a prolonged access to a wide variety of high-quality cultural nature, such as home nursing care, nursing home activity, much as the rest of the country does. This stays, respite care, practical assistance, etc. Peo- is consistent with the premise of Norwegian cul- ple who need such services must therefore tural policy: that culture has both intrinsic value receive them in their home municipalities on the and value to individual residents. Climate and sur- mainland. Foreign nationals without any connec- roundings may restrict the opportunity of people tion to the mainland will have no such opportu- in Svalbard, compared with people elsewhere in nity, and must therefore obtain such services in Norway, to develop and express themselves. In their own countries. For further discussion of this this perspective, a well-functioning cultural scene issue, see section 5.3.1. contributes to quality of life and a desire to live in Longyearbyen Hospital has six beds for admis- Svalbard. A broad and diverse cultural life also has sion and observation. The hospital is prepared for an affect on other aspects of society. emergency response 24 hours a day. This includes Cultural affairs can provide important support outpatient clinic examinations in cases of sus- to the tourism industry, both in terms of cultural pected illness or injury. Medical treatment and expertise and the cultural content in tourism prod- minor surgical procedures can usually be per- ucts. Surveys show that tourists increasingly seek formed at the outpatient clinic, while patients who out cultural experiences when travelling, and that need to undergo further testing or to be referred those who do so represent an affluent customer to a specialist other than one that Longyearbyen group. Cultural initiatives could represent an Hospital can offer must seek help on the mainland important element in further efforts to develop or in their home country. Emergency medical ser- the Svalbard community; see section 9.4.1, ‘The vices are provided to people travelling in the archi- tourism industry’. pelago and adjacent waters, without their being 50 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard resident in Svalbard. In Barentsburg, the mining archipelago. On the mainland, municipalities are company Trust Arktikugol has a healthcare ser- responsible for ensuring satisfactory access to vice in connection with its operations, but Long- veterinary services, which are performed by pri- yearbyen Hospital helps when needed. vate-practicing veterinarians. Municipalities are Emergency medical services in Svalbard con- also responsible for organising on-call clinical vet- sist of an emergency medical dispatch centre erinary services. In 2013 a private veterinary prac- (AMK), an emergency assistance service, an tice was established in Svalbard. It has received ambulance service, off-road rescue in cooperation annual subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture with volunteers, a rescue helicopter service and Food. The Ministry of Justice and Public organised by and in cooperation with the Office of Security has also contributed start-up support. the Governor, and an air ambulance service to the On the mainland, no veterinarians in private mainland. Longyearbyen Hospital is part of the practice receive support from the Ministry of University Hospital of North Norway (UNN Agriculture and Food. Certain municipalities Tromsø) and cooperates with UNN Tromsø, where economic activity is sparse and access to sometimes via video-based medical emergency veterinarians is unstable are provided govern- interaction (VEMI). This enables medical consul- ment grants for measures to secure adequate sup- tation and guidance from UNN Tromsø to employ- ply of veterinary services. As mentioned, the Act ees at Longyearbyen Hospital. relating to animal health personnel is not applied Longyearbyen Hospital provides some types of in Svalbard. Nor is Svalbard a municipality in its service not normally provided in hospital, includ- own right, which means mainland systems and ing services comparable to primary healthcare on programmes related to this topic are not automati- the mainland, such as general practice medicine, cally transferrable. The possibility of making the midwifery, health visitor services and physiother- Act relating to animal health personnel applicable apy. The hospital also has a dental service and an in Svalbard will be considered in connection with occupational health service, but no permanent an upcoming revision of the act. psychologist service. Treatment costs and deductibles for health services rendered at Longyearbyen Hospital are 6.3.4 Children and youth covered largely in accordance with rules and rates The number of children and young people in applicable on the mainland. In cases where the Longyearbyen has grown in step with the develop- patient is neither a member of Norway’s National ment as a family community. While in 2008 there Insurance Scheme while in Svalbard nor covered were 372 people aged 0–19 in Longyearbyen, the by a mutual agreement Norway has concluded number in the 2015–2016 school year was 430. with another country, and which includes Sval- There are two kindergartens operating in bard, the patient must either have insurance that Longyearbyen. Both are run by the Longyearbyen covers the expenses or pay directly for the treat- Community Council, with all-day care available for ment. The EU regulation on the coordination of children aged 0–6. The coverage rate in Long- social security systems (Regulation 883/2004), yearbyen is currently 100 per cent, and places are whose area of application includes medical assis- made available within three months of application. tance in the European Economic Area, does not After several years of a growing child population apply to Svalbard. and expansion in day-care capacity, the number of children in day-care has now declined from 145 children in 2012 to 107 in 2015, and the operating Veterinary service level has been adjusted accordingly. During the There are animals in Svalbard, too, and dog keep- same period, the proportion of foreign children in ing is widespread, especially in the tourism indus- the kindergartens has risen from 20 per cent in try. On the mainland, animal health and welfare 2013 to 32 per cent in 2015. are safeguarded through special legislation, The Longyearbyen Community Council is also including the Food Act and laws governing animal responsible for schooling in Longyearbyen. Long- welfare and animal health personnel. The Minis- yearbyen School has a primary and lower second- try of Agriculture and Food is the competent min- ary school as well as a department for upper sec- istry for this legislation. The Food Act and the ondary education; after-school and cultural arts Animal Welfare Act are applicable in Svalbard. programmes are also available. The Governor of The Act relating to veterinarians and other animal Troms county supervises the school, while the health personnel, however, does not apply to the Governor of Svalbard assists on issues relating to 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 51 Svalbard

Figure 6.6 Every year on 8 March, the return of the sun is marked with a traditional gathering on the old hospital steps at Skjæringa. Photo: Anastasia Gorter, Office of the Governor of Svalbard

matters in Svalbard. In the 2015–2016 school year, try of Education and Research has ruled that the there are 225 primary and lower secondary Longyearbyen Community Council is not obliged school pupils and 25 pupils receiving upper sec- to provide such instruction. The ministry has nev- ondary instruction. Ten per cent of the pupils are ertheless urged the council to do as much as pos- from outside Norway. sible to adapt its upper secondary instruction, to As mentioned in section 5.3.5, the Education the degree local conditions permit, for the benefit Act and the Kindergarten Act determine the of pupils with special needs. framework for the Longyearbyen Community Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting Council’s duties in providing for education. Svalbard indicated furthermore that the Longyear- According to the regulations, education at the pri- byen Community Council itself must consider which mary and lower secondary level must be pro- special services to provide beyond what is necessary vided, while the council may choose to provide under statute, but to do so «on the basis of an overall upper secondary instruction. The Education Act evaluation», taking into account the resources that also contains provisions on individual adaptation such services require and proportionality with for pupils with special needs. regard to the rest of the services provided. The regulations pertaining to schools and kin- This presents the Longyearbyen Community dergartens in Longyearbyen are described in Council with challenges and hard choices involv- more detail in section 5.3.5. Due to the operative ing both its direct obligations and any additional principle of applying them «to the appropriate services it is to provide, in which case different degree» or «circumstances permitting», a need needs must be weighted and prioritised. The fact has arisen to clarify the scope of the council’s that many pupils are foreign nationals raises spe- duties in a number of areas. With regard, for cial issues. The council has therefore asked for example, to the duty to provide special education guidelines on how the regulations should be prac- for pupils in the upper secondary level, the Minis- ticed, and which services are to be provided. 52 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Table 6.1 Population in Longyearbyen, by nationality.

Country 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* 2016** Norway 1652 1604 1637 1643 1569 1557 1513 1472 Thailand 93 92 103 103 112 111 116 116 Sweden 65 72 91 94 107 125 123 141 Denmark 3227313730414340 Germany 2623232525303839 Russia 30 35 39 42 42 47 47 50 Ukraine 8 9 10 13 16 23 26 21 Philippines 1012161820273740 Other, Europe 51 57 64 80 87 117 133 144 Other, outside Europe 27 32 54 52 48 54 68 67 Total 1994 1963 2068 2107 2056 2132 2144 2130

* as of 1 December 2015 ** as of 1 April 2016 Source: Svalbard Tax Office

The Government wishes to emphasise that the required in Svalbard, have made it attractive for low taxation level and the fact that immigration foreign nationals to settle in Longyearbyen. The legislation does not apply to Svalbard make for population structure is therefore changing. The special framework conditions in the local commu- number of foreign nationals has increased from nity of Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen is not 326 in 2008 to 658 as of 1 April 2016; it has in other intended to be a cradle-to-grave society, and the words almost doubled. The number of Norwegian aforementioned framework conditions are dimen- nationals, however, has decreased in the same sioned for the services that are to be provided, period, from 1,692 to 1,478. While foreign nation- and by extension for the expectations residents als accounted for 15 per cent of the population in should have regarding, for example, special ser- 2008, the proportion on 1 April 2016 was about 31 vices for children and youth. The Government per cent. In primary and lower secondary school, therefore believes that the adapted school ser- about 10 per cent of the children are foreign vices and the restrictive practice currently in place nationals, while in the kindergartens the figure is should be continued, and that providing services about 32 per cent. In one of the kindergartens, beyond the current level is not an objective. Nor, 37.5 per cent of children are foreign nationals, accordingly, should the Longyearbyen Commu- from 11 different countries. nity Council provide services of a clear social-pol- This population trend raises several issues icy character. that relate in particular to the situation of children Further work will therefore be done, as also and youth. While the services provided in Long- mentioned in section 5.3.5, to clarify the council’s yearbyen are available to all residents, including obligations with respect to the Kindergarten Act, foreign nationals, it is indeed limited, and does not the Education Act and the proposed act on gender address all needs, certainly not across the entire equality and prohibiting discrimination. This work human life span. Even a prolonged stay in Long- will also include clarifications needed as a result of yearbyen will not by itself open the way to a fur- structural and quality-based child welfare ther stretch of time on the mainland for foreign reforms, and changes in the division of responsi- nationals; see discussion in section 5.3.3. This is bility between the state and the municipalities. also the case for foreign children born during their parents’ stay in Svalbard. Norwegian nation- als may travel to the mainland for further school- 6.3.5 Foreign nationals ing and studies, and to their respective mainland Opportunities for gainful employment and a rea- municipalities to fulfil any care needs. Foreign sonably well-developed list of services, along with nationals without such ties have no such opportu- the fact that work and residence permits are not nity, apart from a limited access to upper second- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 53 Svalbard ary education. They must therefore return to their 6.4 Summary home country to fulfil their needs. This may become a challenge, especially for second-genera- The Government will: tion and, eventually, third-generation children – Seek to maintain Longyearbyen as a viable born during their parents’ stay in Longyearbyen, local community that attracts families and and when ties to the home country over time may helps fulfil and support the overriding objec- have become weak. tives of the Svalbard policy. Responsibility in such situations rests with the – Further develop the Longyearbyen commu- parents. Just as the Norwegian authorities do not nity, with various types of development under wish to facilitate life-long residence for Norwe- continual assessment. gians in Svalbard, it is not up to the Norwegian – Facilitate continued development of existing authorities to facilitate life-long residence for for- activities such as tourism, research and higher eign nationals who choose to stay in Svalbard. It is education, as well as a broad and varied range therefore important that foreign nationals who of economic activities. come to Longyearbyen be given clear, accurate – Facilitate the possibility of maintaining some information about the applicable legal and practi- activity at Svea during a restructuring period cal constraints of life there, including the limited for Longyearbyen, while mining operations at range of services and the fact that a life-long stay Svea and Lunckefjell are suspended. in Longyearbyen cannot be pursued. It will also be – Strengthen the Longyearbyen community by important to advise foreign nationals that they increasing funding for housing and land devel- have no access to welfare benefits on the Norwe- opment in Longyearbyen by NOK 10 million. gian mainland, and that they will therefore need to – Facilitate employment and restructuring in maintain contact with their home country. On the Longyearbyen, using funds provided in the mainland, municipalities are responsible for vari- estimated accounts for the 2015 central govern- ous introduction programmes for foreign nation- ment budget. als. Although these programmes are inapplicable – Continue efforts to facilitate development of to Svalbard, it is natural for the Longyearbyen sound infrastructure in Svalbard, including Community Council to have primary responsibil- energy and water supply. ity for providing such information, in close cooper- – Decide on further work to develop port infra- ation with other authorities, such as the Norwe- structure in Longyearbyen once the Norwe- gian Labour and Welfare Administration and the gian Coastal Administration’s conceptual study Governor of Svalbard. is completed. When it comes to services specifically geared – In close consultation with tourism operators, to foreign nationals, the Longyearbyen Commu- take coordinated action to better facilitate tour- nity Council has, as mentioned, no obligation to ism in Management Area 10, which includes offer introduction programmes, etc. Although the the Isfjorden area and areas surrounding the council offers Norwegian-language instruction for inhabitated locations. newly arrived foreign nationals, the Government – Consider facilitating closer contact between does not intend to make provision for, or fund, the Governor of Svalbard and the local tourism additional introduction programmes or other industry by redirecting resources for this pur- accommodations specifically for foreign nationals pose. in Longyearbyen. – Enable the Northern Norway Art Museum to The Longyearbyen Community Council has consider establishing a residence/guest studio also pointed out that in certain areas it will be nec- for visiting artists. essary to clarify whether it is obliged to fund ser- – Consider relocating public sector jobs to Sval- vices for foreign children; this concern will be fol- bard to help achieve the objective of maintain- lowed up in dialogue with the relevant ministries. ing Norwegian communities in the archipelago. 54 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

7 Environmental protection

7.1 Introduction cruises already takes place in the summer season. In spring, large areas are accessible for snowmo- Protection of the natural environment is a key ele- bile trips starting from, for example, Longyear- ment in the Svalbard policy, and the preservation byen, even though certain areas are protected of Svalbard’s distinctive natural wilderness has from such traffic so as to accommodate non- long been an overriding objective of this policy. motorised tourism and outdoor recreational activ- This is also a result of the Svalbard Treaty, which ity. Svalbard also offers unique opportunities to contains provisions concerning the preservation research climate change and the environment in of Svalbard’s natural environment. Svalbard has a the Arctic, in a natural environment that is rela- natural and cultural heritage of international sig- tively untouched by other influences. Its geo- nificance and value, which Norway has a special graphical position also makes Svalbard an attrac- responsibility to preserve. This was emphasised tive location for a various types of space-related in the two previous white papers concerning Sval- activity. Moreover, Svalbard is relatively easily bard. accessible and has a highly developed infrastruc- The overriding objectives of the Svalbard pol- ture by Arctic standards. By deliberately capitalis- icy remain unchanged, and will ensure compre- ing on these advantages, Norway has allowed hensive and balanced management of the archi- research, higher education, space activity and pelago. Preservation of the area’s distinctive natu- nature-based tourism to grow and become impor- ral wilderness is one of these overriding objec- tant activities that also make up an increasingly tives. More specific objectives for environmental large part of the foundation for Norwegian com- protection in Svalbard have also been issued, and munities and presence in Svalbard. These activi- have long guided its management policy (see sec- ties over time have also led to a rise in traffic in tion 7.2). These objectives, too, remain Svalbard’s natural environment, and to the need unchanged. At the same time, the management of for better forms of facilitation and, as needed, reg- natural and cultural heritage sites in Svalbard ulation to protect the environment in the long must take into account the fact that Svalbard’s term. communities and its environment are both chang- Given the uncertainty about the future of con- ing, and must facilitate necessary restructuring tinued mining in Svea, the Longyearbyen commu- and further development in line with the objec- nity now faces a restructuring in which activity tives that have been set. One of the overriding and traffic levels linked to tourism, research and objectives of the Svalbard policy is to maintain higher education, among others, may increase Norwegian communities in the archipelago. further. Such an increase in activity and traffic will Accordingly, activities that ensure this must be heighten the need for management based on facilitated. Experience to date shows that signifi- knowledge. cant growth in tourism and research and the fur- The environmental regulations and environ- ther development of existing mining operations mental objectives in Svalbard establish the frame- have been possible within the framework of exist- work for all activities. Within that framework, ing environmental regulations and objectives. however, there is latitude for additional activities The magnificent nature and abundant animal related to tourism, research and higher education. life of Svalbard offer significant opportunities for This chapter describes the challenges these nature experiences and nature-based tourism. developments represent and announces some With the exception of a few particularly vulnera- new measures to facilitate necessary restructur- ble areas, almost all of Svalbard is accessible to ing and further development, and to ensure that vessel-based tourism when ice conditions permit. this can be achieved within the framework of the This is also the case inside the protected areas, Svalbard Environmental Protection Act and the where extensive activity in the form of adventure environmental objectives. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 55 Svalbard

Figure 7.1 Svalbard reindeer and Svalbard rock ptarmigan grazing together. Photo: Nicolas Lecomte, Norwegian Polar Institute

In close dialogue with the relevant actors in into account the challenges climate change cre- Svalbard, the environmental authorities will now ates for the environment and for activities such as take coordinated action to better facilitate tour- tourism and research. ism in the zone known as Management Area 10, The Government will also secure natural which includes the Isfjorden area and areas sur- assets and cultural heritage sites located near rounding the inhabitated locations (see map in inhabitated locations and important for tourism, Figure 6.1). With this in mind, the first phase of recreation and the local population. Furthermore, this work will be initiated as soon as possible, a process has begun to assess whether there is ensuring a comprehensive approach to the con- any basis for nominating parts of Svalbard as struction of new commercial tourist cabins and World Heritage sites, due to the internationally the use of temporary facilities for the tourism significant natural and cultural heritage found industry in winter. Efforts will also begin on the there. consideration of accommodating vessel disem- To ensure comprehensive, long-term manage- barkation at selected locations in the Isfjorden ment, the Government will continue developing area and to put in place better frameworks for management plans for the protected areas in Sval- non-motorised tourism products such as skiing bard. These plans will facilitate activity in accord- and dogsledding trips. ance with the purpose of the protection and the An active visitor management strategy will protection provisions. Another important objec- ensure that use of protected areas is facilitated in tive is to adapt management policy to the rapid cli- such as way as to permit the best possible visitor matic and environmental changes Svalbard is fac- experience while at the same time increasing ing. In order to facilitate activity and ensure sound respect and understanding for the protection and coordination of management inside and outside safeguarding of the natural and cultural heritage the protected areas in Management Area 10, man- assets. Through good dialogue with the users, the agement plans will be drawn up that include both authorities will ensure a management that takes protected and unprotected areas. 56 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

7.2 More on the environmental tated locations and development of new and sus- objectives for Svalbard tainable activities.

Protecting Svalbard’s distinctive natural wilder- ness is one of several long-established overriding 7.3 Challenges and measures objectives of the Svalbard policy. The purpose of the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, which 7.3.1 State of the environment entered into force in 2002, is to preserve a near- After consideration of Report No. 22 (2008–2009) pristine environment in Svalbard with regard to to the Storting (see Recommendation No. 336 contiguous areas of wilderness, landscape, flora, (2008–2009) to the Storting) it was concluded that fauna and cultural heritage. Within this frame- the state of the environment in Svalbard was gen- work, the act allows for environmentally sound erally good, and that this provided a good starting community, research and business operations. point for successfully protecting Svalbard’s natu- In Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting ral wilderness. Svalbard, which the Storting endorsed through its It was pointed out that the climate in Svalbard consideration of the white paper (Recommenda- was changing rapidly, and that we were already tion No. 336 (2008–2009) to the Storting), more witnessing the first impacts of climate change on detailed objectives were set for protecting the some stocks. It was also stressed that there was a environment in Svalbard. Apart from some minor risk that steadily growing traffic would affect an adjustments, these objectives are the same as increasing number of locations and areas in Sval- those stated in Report No. 9 (1999–2000) to the bard. Storting Svalbard. The state of the environment in Svalbard is The objectives are as follows: still generally good, and for some species, such as – On the basis of its internationally significant the walrus, stocks have continued to regenerate natural and cultural heritage, Svalbard shall be and increase after previous overexploitation. The one of the world’s best-managed wilderness impacts of climate change have become even areas. clearer, and are now better documented. We have – Within the framework set by the Treaty and gained more knowledge about the vulnerability of considerations of sovereignty, environmental ecosystems to climate change on land, in the sea considerations shall prevail in the event of con- and in pack ice, and new studies show that climate flicts between environmental protection and change poses the most serious threat to species other interests. and ecosystems in Svalbard and in the Arctic – The extent of wilderness areas shall be main- region generally. Although the level of different tained. types of activity in and around Svalbard has – Flora, fauna and cultural munuments that war- increased, the impact of current human traffic and rant protection should be preserved virtually other local activity is considered moderate. intact, and natural ecological processes and biodiversity must be allowed to evolve virtually undisturbed by human activity in Svalbard. 7.3.2 Current policy instruments – There shall be large and essentially pristine Svalbard already has a modern framework of envi- nature areas in Svalbard that meet the need for ronmental regulations and a well-functioning sys- reference areas for climate and environmental tem for managing natural and cultural heritage research. sites; these provide a good starting point for han- – The possibility to experience Svalbard’s natural dling the environmental protection challenges environment undisturbed by motorised traffic that Svalbard faces. The regulations offer many and noise shall be ensured, including areas opportunities for development within the existing that are easily accessible from the inhabitated framework. locations. The most important policy instrument for achieving the environmental objectives for Sval- The Government will continue to use these envi- bard is the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act ronmental objectives as the basis for its manage- and accompanying regulations. The act, which ment of Svalbard. At the same time, within the entered into force in 2002, is a framework act. Its scope of the objectives and applicable legislation, purpose is to maintain a nearly intact environment the Government considers it important to facili- in Svalbard with regard to contiguous areas of wil- tate further necessary development in the inhabi- derness, landscape, flora, fauna and cultural herit- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 57 Svalbard age. Within this framework, the act allows for specific guidelines for area use, information, case environmentally sound community, research and processing, etc. business activity. The current legislation provides a good start- The act contains more detailed provisions on a ing point for dealing with future challenges number of environmental topics. The Svalbard because intact ecosystems in themselves help Environmental Protection Act and accompanying make nature more resilient to the impacts of cli- regulations govern area protection, encroachment mate change. The Government will therefore con- into the natural environment and traffic, protec- tinue to pursue the current protection policy. At tion of cultural heritage sites, land-use planning in the same time, necessary adaptation and flexibil- the communities, local pollution and waste, and ity for managing climate change and increasing hunting, trapping and fishing. This legislation lays activity will be addressed. Management plans down the framework for all activity and land use serve as an important tool in this context. that may have an impact on the environment. In Svalbard there is a close connection Within the protected areas, the protective regula- between life on land and life in the adjacent areas tions are the most important tool for setting limits of sea and pack ice. These marine areas are impor- on activity and land use. In the areas that are not tant habitats for many species found in Svalbard, protected, activity and land use are governed by a particularly ice-dependent species such as the strict, general environmental regulatory frame- polar bear, and Arctic seal and whale species. The work. In land-use planning areas surrounding the surrounding marine areas are also feeding areas inhabitated locations, the Svalbard Environmental for Svalbard’s seabird populations. Protection Act and accompanying regulations The environmental regulations in Svalbard are define the framework for land-use planning and applicable in Svalbard’s territory as far as the ter- activity that may impact the environment. Almost ritorial limits. Many species in Svalbard are migra- 14 years after coming into force, the Svalbard tory or belong to stocks that inhabit large parts of Environmental Protection Act has shown that it the marine and pack-ice areas surrounding the satisfactorily addresses the need for comprehen- archipelago. It is important that these stocks be sive, long-term management of the archipelago. managed and protected with equal effect through- Moreover, the act has not prevented a significant out their area of distribution. Consequently, the increase in activity during that period. The regula- management plans and regulations that govern tions governing environmental matters remain activity in the waters around Svalbard are also unchanged, and the Government will carry them important for environmental protection in Sval- forward as a predictable framework for all activity bard. Management of areas outside the territorial in Svalbard. limits is not a topic of discussion in this white The protected areas in Svalbard cover 65 per paper, however. cent of the land area and 87 per cent of the terri- For seabirds and marine mammals at the top torial sea. Between 2002 and 2006, protection of of the marine food chains, the management and these areas was supplemented and expanded on control of fisheries in the territorial sea and the the basis of geographical analysis, so that all of Fisheries Protection Zone around Svalbard are Svalbard’s main ecosystems are sufficiently vital. This topic is discussed in more detail in sec- encompassed. New geographical and environ- tion 9.4.7. Fulfilment of international obligations mental data have been obtained since then, but to protect migratory species and stocks we share important knowledge gaps still exist as to with other countries, as well as vulnerable species whether the protection is sufficiently representa- and ecosystems, is also vital to environmental pro- tive of all of Svalbard’s natural environment. To tection in Svalbard. safeguard areas with special qualities, protection may still be regarded as an appropriate policy instrument. 7.3.3 The significance of climate change for Management plans have been drawn up for environmental management the nature reserves in East Svalbard, as well as The temperature in the Arctic is rising approxi- draft management plans for the national parks and mately twice as fast as the global average, and bird sanctuaries on the west side of Spitsbergen. Arctic species and ecosystems are particularly A management plan is being developed within the vulnerable to climate change. Svalbard and the framework of the protection regulations, elaborat- surrounding marine areas are among the parts of ing on them and rendering them more specific. the Arctic where these changes are occurring The plan should provide predictability through fastest, and where natural and cultural heritage 58 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Figure 7.2 Polar bear. Photo: Jon Aars, Norwegian Polar Institute

sites are expected to suffer the worst conse- Together with other environmental impacts, quences. including changes in activity, rapid climate In its latest report, the UN Intergovernmental changes pose a significant and growing challenge Panel on Climate Change concludes that the risk to environmental protection in Svalbard. Contin- of significant changes in Arctic ecosystems in the ual change in future environmental conditions is long term is extremely high. Climate changes will therefore something the environmental manage- reduce the habitats of several species found in the ment authorities must take into account, and to Arctic today. Many of these may eventually disap- which the tourism industry and other activities pear from increasingly large parts of the Arctic must adapt. region, and Svalbard is among the areas where The restructuring process facing Longyear- this is expected to occur with greatest rapidity. byen may lead to increased activity and, as a This is because the sea ice surrounding Svalbard result, heighten the challenges related to traffic. is retreating faster than in most other parts of the Such an increase in traffic must therefore be man- Arctic and because Svalbard, as a result, is an area aged in a way attuned to the rapid changes in cli- where climate models predict the temperature mate and environmental conditions. This means will continue to rise particularly fast. that management of local activity must account In addition to the direct environmental sufficiently for species and habitats that are impacts of these climate changes, retreating sea exposed to increasing pressure as a result of cli- ice will make more and more of Svalbard’s coastal mate change. This applies not least to ice-depend- and marine areas accessible for activity for much ent species such as the polar bear and seals, of the year. This presents opportunities for a con- which are at risk of having their main habitats sig- tinued rise in maritime traffic related to cruise nificantly reduced as the sea ice gradually tourism and fishing around Svalbard and in the retreats. The combination of increased traffic and northern Barents Sea, but also the potential for climate changes underlines the importance of greater environmental impact and risk. having plans in place to manage the areas sur- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 59 Svalbard rounding the inhabitated locations (Management conflicts have been registered between organised Area 10). Such plans will facilitate further develop- tourism activity and natural and cultural heritage ment of various nature-based tourism products assets as a result of today’s tourism activity. One while taking into account the increasing pressure reason for this may be sound industry procedures on the environment stemming from such factors and attitudes with regard to complying with envi- as climate change. They will also help provide pre- ronmental regulations, and training for guides dictable conditions for the business community that results in an emphasis on careful manage- while providing the authorities with a useful man- ment of traffic by operators. Emphasis is also agement tool for the area. placed on reaching out to individual tourists with Ocean acidification caused by increased good information about regulations and safety uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by measures. the ocean is an increasingly important factor Since the previous white paper on Svalbard, affecting Arctic marine ecosystems. Ocean acidifi- tourism and traffic levels have increased, as has cation occurs faster in the Arctic because cold international interest in Svalbard as a platform for water absorbs more carbon dioxide. In the long Arctic research. term it must be expected that ocean acidification In the Barents Sea, fishing for fish species such may have significant consequences for the marine as cod and haddock has extended more to the ecosystems around Svalbard. This phenomenon north in recent years. Simultaneously, cruise traffic will interact with climate change in ways that are and research activity have contributed to a rise in hard to predict, but that could affect plankton and maritime traffic in the waters surrounding Sval- other key species and therefore the structure and bard. On land, too, traffic is increasing and traffic function of marine ecosystems. patterns are changing as a result of climate change Increased environmental impact caused by cli- and retreating sea ice. This is the case for cruise mate change and ocean acidification are consider- ship disembarkations and snowmobile traffic alike. ations that must be incorporated into the manage- These trends have been managed satisfactorily ment of species and their habitats, and that may through existing policy instruments, and the tour- have significance for activity frameworks. Envi- ist industry has adopted its own measures to help ronmental management can facilitate desired limit the environmental impact. Tourism and development by learning from experience and by research are activities that contribute much-needed accessing and exploiting new knowledge. Impor- knowledge and create good ambassadors of envi- tant prerequisites for such management include a ronmental protection in Svalbard as a result of the set of clear, verifiable environmental objectives, natural experiences they provide. These activities continuous monitoring of the state of the environ- may also contribute to restructuring needed in the ment, development of models for predicting years to come. However, these types of activities changes, and regular assessment of the state of also create more traffic. Through the use of current the environment and goal attainment. Such man- regulations and management plans, traffic through agement must also include sound processes for the natural environment will be managed so as to involving those affected by the measures. The allow such traffic to increase in a way that is sus- Government will further develop environmental tainable and that addresses environmental consid- management in Svalbard to ensure that these pre- erations in line with current objectives. requisites are in place. The Government is deter- Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting mined to safeguard species and habitats that may Svalbard pointed out that Svalbard could be be exposed to further pressure resulting from cli- divided roughly into three zones according to mate change and ocean acidification combined acceptable levels of impact from traffic. The low- with other impact factors. Important tools in this est impact level is accepted in the nature reserves. context are management plans and practical In the three large national parks established in implementation of the Svalbard Environmental 1973, slightly higher levels of traffic and impact Protection Act. are accepted. In the remaining areas, which encompass central Spitsbergen including the Isfjorden area and the inhabited locations, traffic 7.3.4 Challenges related to traffic and other impacts are more acceptable than in the nature activity reserves and the national parks established in Despite increased activity in and around Svalbard, 1973. This three-way division will continue in the the scope of the impact resulting from traffic and implementation of environmental regulations and other local activity is still deemed moderate. Few the development of management plans. 60 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

A growth in tourism may have significance for areas. In 2007, ships were banned from carrying the natural environment and cultural heritage heavy fuel oil through these nature reserves. In sites in the Isfjorden area. This area contains 2009, the ban was expanded to apply to all parts of national parks, other protected areas and areas the national parks on the west side, with some that are not protected. We must therefore assist in time-limited exemptions that were repealed in managing use of this area so as to ensure the best 2015. Exemptions still apply for sailing to and possible visitor experience while at the same time from Sveagruva. This significantly reduced the increasing respect and understanding for the pro- risk of environmental damage caused by emis- tection and safeguarding of the natural and cul- sions of heavy fuel oil inside the largest part of tural heritage assets. The work on visitor manage- Svalbard’s territorial sea. Maritime safety and ment related to national parks on the mainland emergency preparedness are discussed in more will serve as an important reference base in this detail in Chapter 10. connection, and similar processes should be The environmental management authorities implemented in the Isfjorden area. Growth in tour- will pay closer attention to traffic in areas with ism and other activities also heightens demand for important and vulnerable environmental assets. knowledge about vulnerable areas and resource Emphasis will be placed on good dialogue with deposits, and about which areas can tolerate users to find solutions that take into account the increased use. In the summer of 2015, the Gover- challenges for activities such as tourism and nor of Svalbard and local tourism industry actors research that could arise from possible changes to conducted such vulnerability studies of some the framework governing traffic. Changes in the areas in Isfjorden. Further mapping and develop- framework must be followed up with specific ment should rely on a comprehensive methodol- information and increased supervision during crit- ogy based on the Norwegian Biodiversity Infor- ical periods. Consideration of new measures may mation Centre’s ‘Nature Types in Norway’ classifi- also evaluate alternative traffic routes and solu- cation system. On the basis of such mapping, tions to ensure predictability for the tourism work will be initiated to facilitate disembarkation industry. at selected locations in the Isfjorden area. Less snow and fjord ice in springtime could In 2007 permission was granted under the Sval- also make snowmobile trails impassable and bard Environmental Protection Act to establish thereby affect conditions for tourism and other three cabins for commercial use in connection activity. At the same time, less sea ice will make it with tourism in Svalbard. See section 6.2.1 for fur- easier to reach many areas by boat for longer peri- ther discussion of cabins for commercial use and ods during the year. During winters with little other measures to facilitate further development of fjord ice, most snowmobile traffic will be concen- the tourism industry inside Management Area 10. trated in areas where ice is still found. In such sit- Management plans will be drawn up for the uations, both snowmobile traffic and animal life national parks in central Spitsbergen. This work will be concentrated in the remaining ice-covered will also include assessing management of the areas, and animals will be exposed to an increas- intervening non-protected areas in order to adopt ing level of disturbance. The environmental man- a comprehensive approach to different types of agement authorities have circulated for public traffic and other activity in the areas surrounding consultation a proposal to amend the regulations the inhabited locations. This particularly applies governing motorised traffic in Svalbard. The pro- to Management Area 10 (see map in Figure 6.1) posal involves expanding the area where visitors and the busiest traffic areas on the east coast. can operate snowmobiles when participating in In a comprehensive plan like this, guidelines organised tours or when accompanied by perma- on traffic in different areas must be assessed nent residents. The background for the proposal according to where increased traffic is desirable is that a decline in fjord ice in Tempelfjorden and and where concern for natural assets makes Billefjorden has created a need to protect animal increased traffic undesirable. life from motorised traffic on the fjord ice as well Important measures have already been as a need on the part of tourism operators for an launched in Svalbard in response to retreating sea alternative route to Pyramiden when the fjord ice ice, easier access and increased exposure of vul- is unsafe. Allowing an alternative route across the nerable species and nature areas to traffic. Regula- glacier systems will address both the tourism tions governing the large nature reserves in east- industry’s need to arrange tours to Pyramiden ern Svalbard, for example, have been amended to and the need to avoid disturbing polar bears and include certain restrictions on traffic in selected seals at a sensitive time of the year. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 61 Svalbard

When considering traffic related to research tory activity on the environment in terms of both and monitoring, the needs and opportunities for scope and time. If such an application to conduct knowledge development – to provide a basis for exploratory drilling is approved, it does not mean Svalbard’s management, among other things – the applicant can later expect to be granted a per- will have to be balanced against the need to avoid mit to begin mineral extraction if the exploration traffic in vulnerable areas and at the most sensi- gives promising results. Such decisions will be tive times of the year. In general the need for considered individually, based on the restrictive updated knowledge about the environment and practice at the time and on the objective of main- changes in the state of the environment is grow- taining the extent of wilderness in Svalbard. ing because of the speed of climate change. The Stringent conditions will also be set for infra- Svalbard Environmental Protection Act contains structure developments inside or in extension of rules governing permits for motorised traffic. established mining areas and inhabited locations These stipulate, among other things, that manage- in order to protect environmental interests in the ment must take into account the objective to limit case of new or expanded activity. This particularly motorised traffic in Svalbard when processing applies to new activities that will affect wilderness applications for permits for motorised traffic. areas or important and vulnerable environmental Supervision and the exercise of authority will assets. In 2011 permission was granted to estab- also create a need to travel in vulnerable areas lish a new mine in Lunckefjell on condition that from time to time, including periods when distur- the area involved be returned to its original condi- bances should be avoided. Nonetheless, the clear tion on cessation of operation. It was also stressed objective for such activity must be to keep traffic that the operating period should last only five in vulnerable areas to an absolute minimum. years before being returned to its original condi- tion, and that any infrastructure developments should be of a temporary nature. Similar require- 7.3.5 Infrastructure development into ments must be anticipated if permission is granted nature to expand existing mining areas or other activities With the exception of a few areas surrounding the that involve heavy infrastructure developments inhabited locations and the mines in Svalbard, the into nature. On granting permission for the new archipelago appears as a large, contiguous wilder- mine in Lunckefjell the ministry stated, with ness area with no elements of heavy infrastructure regard to opportunities for more activity of the development such as roads or power lines, etc. same type in the same area, that all applications In principle, infrastructure development in must be specifically considered in light of the prin- protected areas is not permitted. In areas that are ciple of cumulative environmental impact. An not protected, the Svalbard Environmental Protec- infrastructure development permit related to the tion Act places restrictions on permits and condi- mining operation in Lunckefjell does not mean tions for activities that involve infrastructure permission will automatically be granted to estab- development. lish similar activities in other areas in future. The Svalbard Environmental Protection Act stipulates that settlement and business activity as a rule should be located in the land-use planning 7.3.6 Pollution and waste areas. Establishment of mining operations Some species are still negatively affected by long- requires permission under the Svalbard Environ- range transported pollutants. Levels of classic pol- mental Protection Act, and the holding of claims lutants such as PCBs in animals from Norwegian does not give entitlement to infrastructure devel- Arctic areas are showing a generally downward opment in Svalbard. The restrictive practice gov- trend, mainly because of a ban introduced against erning permits and conditions under the Svalbard their production and use, whereas the concentra- Environmental Protection Act will be pursued in tion levels for chemicals not banned internation- respect of activities that result in the infrastruc- ally are rising. The levels for certain new pollut- ture development of natural areas and landscapes ants are far higher than for the classic pollutants, outside the established inhabited locations and indicating that the new pollutants pose a chal- mining areas. This practice is based on the envi- lenge. Most of the pollutants found in the Arctic ronmental impact of the activity in question. This are transported over long distances. Local sources means, in the case of applications to conduct activ- of pollution are discussed below in the section ities such as exploratory drilling for minerals, one dealing with the environment and land-use plan- must examine the overall impact of the explora- ning in the local communities. 62 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Marine littering and microplastics in the sea The snow crab is a species that is regarded as and on the beaches around Svalbard have been new to the Barents Sea and that is now spreading identified as a growing problem. Marine debris towards Svalbard. The snow crab appears on the such as plastic rope, fishing nets and plastic bags Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre’s can kill animals that eat it or become entangled in Black List of alien species in the high-risk cate- it. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that gory. It is not yet known how the crab arrived in come from the breakdown of plastic debris in the the Barents Sea from the Beaufort Sea. The spe- sea or that enter the marine environment via drain- cies could come to occupy marine areas around age and runoff from land, resulting from wear and Svalbard and account for a major part of the bot- tear of plastic products such as car tyres and fleece tom fauna. Bycatches of isolated crabs have garments or from products containing microplas- already occurred in East Svalbard. It is difficult to tics, such as scrubbing agents. Microplastics can predict what this crab will mean for the rest of the represent an additional stress factor for animals in ecosystem, but it could eventually have a signifi- the Arctic region that are exposed to climate cant impact on marine ecosystems. Like the king change. As well as having a direct impact on ani- crab, the snow crab feeds on a wide range of bot- mals, microplastics can also serve as routes for tom organisms. Studies of the state of the environ- dispersal and uptake of pollutants. ment in areas expected to be affected are cur- Every year the Governor of Svalbard invites rently being conducted to document the impacts. the local population to take part in a beach-clean- ing exercise. This clean-up helps reduce the risk to animal life and makes the coastal areas more 7.3.8 Environment and land-use planning in attractive to tourists. In 2016 the Norwegian Envi- the local communities ronment Agency will publish an analysis of The local communities in Svalbard are under national measures against marine littering and an development, and one feature common to all of assessment of potential measures to reduce and them is that the Svalbard Environmental Protec- prevent the occurrence of microplastics in the tion Act’s aim of environmentally sound commu- marine environment. nity, research and business operations will form the basis for future development. Increased activ- ity in the local communities and their immediate 7.3.7 New species vicinity may affect the environment through the Several new species have been observed in Sval- expansion of buildings and infrastructure, more bard in recent years, partly as a result of a warmer traffic, more hunting and fishing in surrounding climate and partly as a result of the introduction of areas, and increasing emissions and generation of non-native species. The rapid warming weakens waste. The scale of the environmental impact in the climatic barrier against non-native species and around the inhabited locations in the coming from temperate regions and raises the risk that years will depend largely on what requirements such species will gain a foothold and spread in are placed on land use, energy efficiency, traffic, Svalbard and in the Arctic waters, where they waste management and emissions. could displace native species. The release or New knowledge about the pollution situation transport of organisms that are not found natu- in the communities indicates that local emissions rally in Svalbard is prohibited under the Svalbard affect the environment more severely than previ- Environmental Protection Act without special per- ously believed. The Government therefore consid- mission. Work on drafting an action plan to pre- ers it important that local sources of pollution be vent the introduction and spread of non-native brought under control. species in Svalbard is in its final phase, and will be Svalbard’s local communities have a long his- implemented by the environmental management tory, with cultural heritage sites and environ- authorities. ments that bear witness to different phases in The discharge of untreated ballast water rep- their development. These heritage sites have resents a particularly high risk of introducing non- great symbolic and source value, as storytellers. native organisms into the marine environment. The buildings present today evolved in close con- Ballast water is regulated by ballast water regula- nection with the historical core of the area, and tions that entered into force in 2009. The Ballast striking a balance between cultural heritage inter- Water Convention is expected to enter in force in ests and development aims can prove challenging. the near future. Once it does, Norway will revise The Svalbard Environmental Protection Act its ballast water regulations. contains provisions regulating land-use planning 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 63 Svalbard within specifically defined land-use planning areas use plans insofar as no objections are raised. Work around the communities. The intention behind is currently being undertaken to implement Long- these provisions is to fulfil the purpose of the Sval- yearbyen’s numerous detailed zoning plans into bard Environmental Protection Act in the best the land-use plan. The land-use plan will be an possible way and to lead development in a desired important document for showing how Longyear- direction. byen wants to develop in the coming years, mak- Each land-use planning area has a planning ing it an important tool in the community’s cur- authority which, in addition to its ongoing plan- rent restructuring process. Knowledge about ning duties, ensures that plans are complied with areas prone to flood and avalanche will be vital for and followed up. The planning authority is the sound planning. This knowledge must also be landowner or the party granted this authority by reflected in the land-use plans so that these serve the ministry. as adequate tools for further developing the local A land-use plan clarifies the actual use of land, community. but grants no automatic right to start up a new A key purpose of land-use planning is to set activity. The activity itself may be subject to other guidelines on what may be built and where, and to provisions in the Svalbard Environmental Protec- what extent undeveloped areas may be used. The tion Act and, possibly, other regulations. Although plan must therefore be sufficiently detailed to pro- an activity may be in compliance with an approved vide a basis for planning and building decisions. land-use plan, a special permit from the Governor For some areas, such as the central areas, sepa- of Svalbard may be required in some cases. rate zoning plans may have to be prepared. The climate changes in Svalbard – as in the The areas in the immediate vicinity of Long- rest of Norway – increase the risks of avalanche yearbyen are heavily used by the local population and flood, more extreme weather conditions, and all year round, and cultural heritage sites are often higher storm surges caused by sea-level rise. tourist destinations. Longyearbyen’s cultural her- Physical infrastructure such as roads, buildings itage sites can be said to represent the commu- and ports are therefore more exposed to these nity’s profile, and are used to market the town as a types of climate-related incidents. Climate-related tourist destination. In addition, interesting fossil incidents can pose a threat to life and health. Cli- deposits, including those of reptiles, are found in mate changes add strain to critical Arctic infra- the vicinity of Longyearbyen. The potential within structure that is already vulnerable, thereby creat- this field is considerable, in respect of further ing a need for upgrading and adaptation. Coastal research, higher education and information dis- erosion could also become a growing problem in semination, and as part of the offering to tourists. Svalbard. It is therefore important that land-use The environmental management authorities and community planning in the planning areas have taken a closer look at the natural and cultural take climate change into account. The guide to heritage assets in the area surrounding Longyear- land-use planning under the Svalbard Environ- byen and its value in terms of outdoor recreation mental Protection Act is currently being revised. and tourism. Adventdalen is regarded as one of A description of how the planning areas in Sval- the most important areas for waders and freshwa- bard should take climate change into account will ter birds in Svalbard; sixteen of Svalbard’s red- be included in the revised guide. listed bird species have habitats there. The lower The local communities in Svalbard are very section of Adventdalen is a particularly important different in character, as are the types of land-use resting and stopover area for a large number of conflicts that need to be resolved. The communi- geese and waders. This area also has several ties also have different management traditions small sites that are highly valuable for plant life. and, accordingly, different planning needs. For Work will be initiated to assess the need for this reason the planning system is flexible, and greater protection of these areas in lower Advent- allows details to be adapted to the needs of the dalen. communities. Adaptation to make local natural and cultural Longyearbyen is the planning area that has heritage attractions more accessible will have pos- changed most in recent years. The land-use plan itive effects for both tourism and the local popula- for Longyearbyen was last adopted in 2009 and is tion. Possible measures include the installation of currently under review. A new plan is expected to ‘sherpa trails’ inside the planning area. be approved in late 2016/early 2017. The Long- Barentsburg’s land-use plan from 2004 is cur- yearbyen Community Council is the planning rently undergoing revision. A new planning pro- authority in Longyearbyen, and may approve land- gramme was approved in the autumn of 2015, and 64 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard the responsible planning authority, Trust Arkti- operating Svalbard Airport. The scope of pollution kugol, wishes to update the plan so that existing from diffuse sources such as soil contamination infrastructure, buildings and land use are accu- and waste disposal sites remains uncertain. rately reflected in the plan, while at the same time PCB sources in the inhabited locations were facilitating new land use. Research and tourism identified under the PCB project, as it was called, have become important activities, and the aim is and since then a number of clean-up measures that the plan should facilitate further development have been implemented and the use of PCB of these activities. phased out. The biggest challenges lie in Barents- Pyramiden had its first land-use plan approved burg and Pyramiden, and the work has been con- by the Governor of Svalbard in 2014. The back- ducted in good cooperation with Trust Arktikugol. ground for the requirement to prepare a land-use The environmental reviews of buildings in Bar- plan was the wish to develop Pyramiden for tour- entsburg and Pyramiden have resulted in new ism and research purposes. Trust Arktikugol is findings of material containing PCB. Require- the responsible planning authority for Pyramiden, ments were set for clean-up and restoration where and has performed maintenance work in the plan- deemed necessary. ning area since 2007. Supervision and environmental surveys have Sveagruva’s land-use plan was revised in 2012, shown continuing waste-management challenges but the planning area has undergone changes in several inhabited locations, involving both haz- since then. The land-use plan has served as the ardous waste and building refuse. The need for steering document for Store Norske Spitsbergen improved regulations and measures to ensure Grubekompani AS (SNSG) in connection with the compliance will be assessed. physical development of Svea, and provides a A sewage treatment plant opened in Ny- basis for decision-making on the use and protec- Ålesund in the autumn of 2015. Opening of the tion of the land and buildings there. The Norwe- plant means that sewage is no longer discharged gian Government took over as landowner in Svea untreated into the fjord, a development which vali- in the spring of 2015. Svea’s coal-mining operation dates the investment in Ny-Ålesund as a research is currently suspended. During this suspension, station with its own marine laboratory, among SNSG rents the land and infrastructure from the other facilities. The research station in Hornsund state. Based on this situation, the Ministry of Cli- has had a sewage treatment plant since 2008. mate and Environment has given SNSK authority Longyearbyen currently has no sewage system. to act as the planning authority in Svea. The future Adventfjorden is affected by the emissions, so of the mining operation in Svea is now uncertain. there is a need for sewage treatment. This matter Changed use of the area would require the land- will be examined further. The need to treat emis- use plan to be revised so that the use and the plan sions from other inhabited locations and research are in accord. Under the Svalbard Environmental stations will also be assessed. The Longyearbyen Protection Act, revision of land-use plans is to be Community Council will have responsibility for considered every four years. At the request of the establishing and operating a sewage treatment Governor of Svalbard, SNSK has initiated work on plant in Longyearbyen. revising the land-use plan for Svea. Ny-Ålesund has begun work on revising its cur- rent land-use plan. Since the current plan was 7.3.9 Cultural heritage sites approved in 2009, a more detailed zoning plan has Climate changes also affect Svalbard’s cultural been drawn up for a new geodetic observatory heritage sites in the form of increasing erosion, and various changes have occurred in the Ny- more extensive damage from rust and rot, thaw- Ålesund’s building stock. ing permafrost, landslides, etc. The iconic cable- ways and pithead installations from mining opera- tions in Longyearbyen and vicinity are exposed to Pollution in the inhabited locations rot and landslides, and the airship mooring mast The Norwegian Environment Agency has granted in Ny-Ålesund to rust; meanwhile, the hunting emissions permits to the coal mining operations in and trapping cabins and other important buildings Svea Nord, Lunckefjell and Mine 7, to the coal in Svalbard are decaying at a faster rate. The power plant in Longyearbyen, and to the coal min- warmer climate and retreating sea ice in Svalbard ing operation and coal power plant in Barents- mean that coastal erosion is happening faster than burg. The Governor of Svalbard has also granted before. At the same time, less sea ice leads to other emissions permits, including to Avinor for more wave activity, which in turn leads to more 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 65 Svalbard

Figure 7.3 Adventdalen. Photo: Ståle Nylund, Office of the Governor of Svalbard erosion of unprotected shorelines, where most of ing. Under the Svalbard Environmental Protection Svalbard’s cultural heritage sites are situated. Act, owners are required to maintain protected A list of the 100 most important cultural herit- cultural heritage assets. Should they fail to do so, age sites and cultural environments was drawn up and if there is a risk of decay, the Directorate for in the Cultural Heritage Management Plan for Cultural Heritage may order the owner or user to Svalbard 2013–2023. Fifty of them were assigned carry out corrective measures. high priority. Follow-up of the prioritised cultural assets may involve supervision, proposals for preservation, inclusion in land-use plans or resto- 7.3.10 World Heritage ration and maintenance. In the case of some cul- As a state party to UNESCO’s Convention Con- tural heritage sites of particular historical and/or cerning the Protection of the World Cultural and experiential value, there will be a need to initiate Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention), preventive measures, such as ones to counteract Norway is obliged to identify potential world herit- rot or erosion. age assets within its own territory. Given the In the case of particularly valuable cultural unique natural and cultural heritage assets the heritage sites, detailed documentation ought to be archipelago represents, Svalbard in 2007 was undertaken or archaeological emergency excava- placed on Norway’s tentative list of sites under tions carried out to preserve their value as histori- consideration for nomination to the World Herit- cal sources that would otherwise be lost. Also to age List in the next five to ten years. Any nomina- be considered is whether to relocate cultural her- tion of parts of Svalbard to the World Heritage List itage assets or carry out preventive measures would mark an important Norwegian contribution such as erosion control. to a more geographically and thematically repre- Industrial cultural heritage sites represent a sentative World Heritage List, and would align particular challenge. These sites are important with the objective of making Svalbard one of the symbolic structures for Longyearbyen and Sval- world’s best-managed wilderness areas. Through bard. The most important ones will be given prior- consideration of Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the ity with regard to immediate measures and secur- Storting Svalbard (see Recommendation No. 336 66 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Box 7.1 Lower Adventdalen bog tundra. This means the area has a higher incidence of certain bird species than any of the protected areas in Svalbard. This is especially the case for the red-listed dunlin. More than 80 per cent of Svalbard’s total population is believed to nest here. The purple sandpiper also appears in large numbers; as many as 2,000 have been sighted simultaneously. The purple sandpi- per has been designated a species of national responsibility1 for Svalbard, since a significant proportion of the global population nests in the Figure 7.4 Purple sandpiper archipelago. Photo: Stein G Nilsen, Norwegian Polar Institute The Longyearbyen Field Biological Associa- tion has been an important contributor of infor- The Adventdalen delta and Adventdalen west of mation concerning the incidence of bird species Jansonhaugen make up a vital resting and stopo- and other natural assets in this area. In 2015 the ver area for a large number of water birds in Longyearbyen Field Biological Association both spring and autumn. A total of 74 water bird called for this area to be protected and desig- species have been registered here, 25 of which nated as a wetland site of international impor- are wader species. No other area in Svalbard tance under the Ramsar Convention. The associ- plays host to such a diversity of species. A total ation also stressed the positive significance this of 16 of Svalbard’s red-listed bird species are would have for tourism and for development of found in this area, among them brent goose, tourism in Svalbard. Viewed in connection with sanderling, dunlin, red knot, ringed plover, red the proposed nature information centre in Long- phalarope and European golden plover. The yearbyen, the creation of a protected area and three species mentioned last also nest there. nomination of the area for inclusion on the The Adventdalen delta becomes ice-free ear- Ramsar Convention’s list of wetland sites of lier than the other delta areas in Svalbard. international significance could lead to the Migrating water birds can therefore find food establishment of an important arena for informa- here before settling down to nest. Around tion and experience while also serving as a new 10,000 pink-footed geese feed here in late May tourist attraction. every year, in addition to brent geese and a large 1 A species of national responsibility is a species Norway number of barnacle geese. has a particular responsibility to protect. A significant The lower sections of Adventdalen, particu- proportion (25 per cent or more) of such a species’ Euro- larly Fivelflya, have abundant areas of moist/ pean stock is in Norway.

(2008–2009) to the Storting), further work was the system of Environmental Monitoring of Sval- announced to review Svalbard as a World Heritage bard and Jan Mayen (MOSJ). This system will be area. The Government will assess whether there further developed to address the growing need are grounds for a nomination of parts of Svalbard for knowledge about the status of Svalbard’s envi- as a World Heritage Site on the strength of its ronment and the trends observed. The monitor- internationally significant natural and cultural her- ing programmes SEAPOP and MAREANO pro- itage. vide knowledge, respectively, about seabirds in and around Svalbard and the seabed surrounding Svalbard. Aerial monitoring to map the impact of 7.3.11 Environmental management’s need for climate and environmental contaminants in Sval- knowledge bard is performed as part of the central govern- Currently, the need for monitoring and evaluating ment’s environmental monitoring. In addition, sur- the state of the environment is covered in part by veys and research are conducted on the impacts 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 67 Svalbard

Box 7.2 Svalbard’s Environmental Protection Fund Svalbard’s Environmental Protection Fund allo- of Climate and Environment has appointed a cates funds to measures that protect natural board for the fund, and the Governor of Sval- environments and cultural heritage sites in the bard acts as its secretariat. Since its formation in archipelago, in accordance with section 98 of the 2007, the Environmental Protection Fund has Svalbard Environmental Protection Act and the allocated NOK 97 million to 471 environmental fund’s statutes. The fund’s resources should projects, and experience shows that the Fund is contribute to ensuring that Svalbard’s distinctive a well-established economic instrument in the wilderness and cultural heritage are preserved work of protecting Svalbard’s environment. as sources of experience, knowledge and value Examples of projects recently supported by creation. The fund’s income is largely derived Svalbard’s Environmental Protection Fund are a from the environmental fee for visitors to Sval- new waste disposal plant in Barentsburg, resto- bard. Enterprises, organisations and private ration of a locomotive in Ny-Ålesund, and a col- individuals may apply for funding. The Ministry lection scheme for beach litter in Longyearbyen.

Figure 7.5 «Toa»: Steam locomotive No. 2 was made in Berlin in 1909 and it arrived in Ny-Ålesund in 1917. The locomotive was used to transport coal from the pitheads to the shipping quay before lorries took over that work. In connection with Kings Bay’s centenary, Svalbard’s Environmental Protection Fund has granted funding to restore the locomotive so it can continue to serve as a storyteller and landmark in Ny-Ålesund. The restoration work is being carried out at the Aurskog- Høland Line’s special workshop in Sørumsand. Photo: Asbjørn Hagen 68 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard of climate change and other impact factors. This research, higher education, tourism and other research has been strengthened in recent years economic activities. through the establishment of the Norwegian Polar Institute’s Centre for Ice, Climate and Eco- systems (ICE) and the Fram Centre in Tromsø. 7.4 Summary The Fram Centre in Tromsø is now being expanded in a new building phase, and a new ice- The Government will: strengthened research vessel is under construc- – Continue to pursue the current objectives and tion. Knowledge about the state of the environ- regulations in the environmental field. ment and climate change in Svalbard is decisive – Within this framework and in close consulta- for local environmental management and is impor- tion with tourism operators, take coordinated tant for the further development of conventions action to better facilitate tourism in Manage- and other international forms of cooperation. ment Area 10, which includes the Isfjorden Work is being conducted to improve the envi- area and areas surrounding the inhabited loca- ronmental monitoring parameters of cultural her- tions. itage sites. This work is being carried out under – Ensure a comprehensive and environmentally the MOSJ system. Reporting on the status of indi- responsible approach to the construction of vidual cultural heritage sites is done by updating commercial tourist cabins and the use of tem- the Askeladden cultural heritage database, and a porary facilities for tourism in winter. concentrated effort to quality-assure the data held – Improve knowledge about the Isfjorden area’s there is advisable. There is a need to strengthen vulnerability to human traffic, and on that basis existing knowledge about threatened and vulnera- consider measures to facilitate vessel disem- ble species and habitats in the Norwegian part of barkation at selected locations. the Arctic and to conduct more systematic assess- – Improve the framework for non-motorised ments of threatened and vulnerable natural envi- tourism products such as ski and dogsled trips. ronments. This particularly applies to the signifi- – Continue work on management plans that facil- cance of climate change for threatened natural itate further development of activities such as environments in the Arctic. The knowledge base tourism, research and higher education. for threatened and vulnerable species and habitats Ensure that management plans are drawn up in Svalbard, with emphasis on marine and sea-ice for areas surrounding the inhabited locations environments, will be further developed. (Management Area 10), including both pro- tected and unprotected areas. Ensure that use of the protected areas is facilitated and man- 7.3.12 Environmental information aged to permit the best possible visitor experi- The Governor of Svalbard has proposed establish- ence while increasing respect and understand- ing a nature information centre in Longyearbyen. ing for the protections and safeguarding the Twenty-six authorised visitor centres have been natural and cultural assets. established on the mainland, focusing on a range – Facilitate in finding solutions for areas that are of topics such as national parks, wetlands, wild becoming more vulnerable to human traffic as reindeer and predators. Three World Heritage a result of a warmer climate and retreating sea centres have also been established for the pur- ice. The environmental management authori- pose of providing accurate information, enhancing ties have circulated for public consultation a knowledge about world heritage, and strengthen- proposal to expand the area where visitors can ing ties to local communities. In large parts of operate snowmobiles when participating in Svalbard where the land and marine areas are pro- organised tours or when accompanied by per- tected, there is untapped potential for visitors to manent residents. Secure natural assets and be introduced to the archipelago’s unique environ- cultural heritage sites located near communi- mental assets in a way that allows them to be both ties and important for tourism, recreation and preserved and experienced. The proposed nature the local population. To this end, work will be information centre will convey the value of Sval- initiated to assess the need for greater protec- bard’s cultural and natural assets and serve as a tion of areas in lower Adventdalen, where bird communications arena for administration, life is especially abundant. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 69 Svalbard

8 Knowledge, research and higher education

8.1 Introduction The need for knowledge and expertise regard- ing the Arctic region is greater than ever before. Research and higher education represent an Climate changes in particular pose major chal- important focus area for Norwegian activity and lenges to our knowledge. The climate changes are presence in Svalbard. Its unique nature and loca- most noticeable in the Arctic, and Arctic species tion, long polar traditions, easy accessibility and and ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to modern infrastructure make Svalbard an attrac- them. Developments in the Arctic region will have tive platform for Norwegian and international Arc- ripple effects around the world because of the key tic research and higher education. Research in role the polar regions play in the global climate Svalbard is of great interest to both the Norwe- system. Insight in many disciplines is needed to gian and international scientific communities, and understand the changes taking place and their educational and research activity is on the rise. impacts. This task is too great for one country or The presence of researchers from many differ- research discipline to resolve single-handedly. It ent countries creates many opportunities for inter- requires interdisciplinary, international coopera- national cooperation within the framework of Nor- tion, sharing of data, and infrastructure. Develop- wegian facilitation and regulations. Research ing climate models also requires many different activity also provides a basis for the unique study types of data from the Arctic, and both Norwegian programme at the University Centre in Svalbard and international institutions provide infrastruc- (UNIS), where students from many different ture, contribute long, standardised measurement countries meet and gain common insights and series, and participate in international measure- knowledge that the world needs. ment networks. These provide a basis for impor- Research in Svalbard is important for knowl- tant system studies and for the reports issued by edge development in many thematic areas, and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate has contributed to moving forward the state of the Change. Norwegian research in and around Sval- art in several disciplines. For example, new tech- bard also contributes to a solid knowledge base nology and improved logistics have made it possi- for Norwegian policy, management and business ble to study life in Arctic waters all year round. activity in the Arctic and in Svalbard. New studies show that far more biological activity Knowledge is vital for restructuring existing goes on below and near the ice around Svalbard businesses and for creating a basis for new ones. during the polar night than previously assumed. This is why investments are being made in indus- Norway is at the forefront of international try-oriented research and innovation throughout polar research, and still ranks third in the world in the country. This is the case for Svalbard, too, and the number of published articles dealing with the cooperation between the business and research Arctic.1 This is therefore an area where Norway is communities could potentially take advantage of uniquely placed to contribute to global knowledge the archipelago’s natural advantages. This means development. Active publication, dissemination of accommodating a business community that devel- findings and information sharing are vital if this ops and uses the results of research and develop- knowledge is to be recognised and put to use. ment work and that cooperates with other knowl- edge communities. Space research, cold-climate technology, logistics and tourism are potential areas of research in this context. The policy for 1 Source: ‘Norsk polarforskning – forskning på Svalbard. Ressursinnsats og vitenskapelig publisering – indikatorer research and higher education in Svalbard has 2014’ (Norwegian polar research: Research in Svalbard. several dimensions. It is a part of national policy Resource input and scientific publication: Indicators 2014). for research and higher education, which places Dag W. Aksnes, Kristoffer Rørstad, Report 2015:37, Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education emphasis on quality, internationalisation, and lev- (NIFU). eraging of national advantages. It is also a central 70 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard element in Norwegian policy for the High North Svalbard, and support the objectives of minimis- and the Arctic, where knowledge is a key focus ing adverse environmental impacts and strength- area. Research and higher education also consti- ening the scientific basis for the study pro- tute an important element in the Svalbard policy, grammes offered. and contributes to the achievement of overriding Section 8.2 discusses research and educational policy objectives such as maintaining Norwegian activity in Svalbard, and some key challenges and communities in the archipelago. The Govern- needs. Section 8.3 describes the priorities in this ment’s goals for research and higher education in area going forward. Svalbard remains unchanged. These were most recently affirmed through the Storting’s consider- ation of Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting 8.2 Status and challenges Svalbard (see Recommendation No. 336 (2008– 2009) to the Storting): 8.2.1 Investments and increasing activity – Research and higher education shall be key The scope of research and higher education in elements of Norwegian activity in Svalbard in Svalbard has doubled during the past decade, the years to come. making this area a vital part of the activity in the – Svalbard shall be further developed as a plat- archipelago. In line with the objectives stated in form for international research, higher educa- the previous white paper (Report No. 22 (2008– tion and environmental monitoring. The archi- 2009) to the Storting Svalbard), Svalbard today is pelago’s infrastructure and unique research a platform for international research, higher edu- possibilities shall be exploited even better than cation and environmental monitoring. they are at present. The infrastructure must be It is an expressed objective that Svalbard’s supplemented with measures that further unique natural advantages and accessibility be strengthen Svalbard’s position in international fully exploited for research and higher education knowledge development. purposes. At the same time, the activity itself must – Norway shall be a key player in the develop- not cause harm to this platform. Research and ment of knowledge in and about Svalbard, not higher education have taken place – and by and just a facilitator. A professional leading role large ought to continue to take place – on the must be ensured in particular through the pro- basis of established inhabited locations and fessional standing and quality of Norwegian research stations. There has been a relatively polar research. clear division of labour between research estab- – All activity shall be in accordance with an overrid- lishments, in keeping with the qualities naturally ing consideration of the environment. Research inherent in their locations. This, together with and higher education in climate and the environ- practical coordination of fieldwork, has helped ment is a natural focus area, and this research is minimise damage and wear and tear. This applies itself dependent on the area being kept unaf- to both fieldwork for research purposes and field- fected by local impacts as far as possible. based instruction. Increasingly, remote sensing and automated data collection have also been Norway has for many years facilitated higher edu- helping to reduce the environmental impacts cation and extensive Norwegian and international while making it possible to collect data from other- research in Svalbard. As host for this important wise inaccessible areas. Developing such solu- international activity, the Government now wants tions further requires a community that encour- to facilitate conditions so that these unique ages innovation and technology development in research opportunities can be exploited in an even Svalbard. better way. The Government will therefore take Accordingly, Norwegian authorities have con- action towards: centrated on developing and making available – better use and coordination of resources buildings, infrastructure and logistical services – more clearly defined research priorities for research and education activity and on devel- – improved quality and professional manage- oping entities and services for practical and tech- ment nical coordination, primarily through UNIS, the – more clearly defined expectations for scientific Norwegian Polar Institute, Kings Bay AS and the quality, cooperation, and open sharing of data Svalbard Science Forum, and by establishing the Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing Sys- This in turn will promote scientific advances and tem (SIOS). The various actors are discussed in better results from the overall research activity in more detail elsewhere in this chapter. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 71 Svalbard

Longyearbyen’s role as a centre of research ment resources have been invested in developing and higher education has been strengthened, and Ny-Ålesund into an important platform for scien- Longyearbyen now includes a large, broad-based tific research on the Arctic, global climate, and cli- scientific community centred around the Svalbard mate change. Ny-Ålesund’s favourable location Science Centre. UNIS and the Norwegian Polar alongside Kongsfjord is well suited to environmen- Institute each play a central role in this commu- tal monitoring and research. Ny-Ålesund has there- nity. The Svalbard Science Centre also serves as fore evolved into an important node in interna- an important meeting place for research dissemi- tional research and monitoring networks. nation, scientific debate, public education and Regular flights operate to Ny-Ålesund, and information for students and employees, local Kings Bay AS provides joint facilities for accom- inhabitants, tourists and other visitors. There is a modation and scientific research activity. Kings wish to facilitate further development of this role. Bay rents out buildings to international research See section 6.2.4 for a more detailed discussion of institutions that use the facilities as a base for the Svalbard Science Centre. In 2009, UNIS pro- research in Svalbard. Fourteen institutions cur- vided instruction to just under 400 students from rently have rental contracts and conduct perma- 25 countries. The number of study places has nent research activity in Ny-Ålesund. As meas- risen steadily over the years. In 2015 UNIS had ured by the number of research days in Ny- 690 students from 44 countries, equivalent to 202 Ålesund, the Norwegian Polar Institute is the larg- student full-time equivalents. UNIS’s academic est Norwegian research institution. The second- staff consists of 27 professors and associate pro- largest is the Norwegian Mapping Authority. The fessors, in addition to PhD candidates, postdoc- international institutions come from Germany, toral fellows, researchers and technical and The United Kingdom, Italy, France, Japan, South administrative personnel. In total these account Korea, China, the Netherlands and India. for 110 permanent positions. In addition, there are A significant amount of research is also con- 43 adjunct professors/adjunct associate profes- ducted elsewhere in the archipelago. The Norwe- sors. The number of scientific articles published gian Meteorological Institute has stations at has risen from 90 in 2009 to 104 in 2015, 38 per Hopen and Bjørnøya, which primarily are used for cent of which in level 2 journals (the highest qual- routine meteorological observations. Radiosondes ity level). This trend has earned UNIS a signifi- are also released on Bjørnøya. In addition, mete- cant position in Svalbard’s knowledge landscape. orological measurements are conducted for other See Box 8.3 for further discussion. Norwegian scientific institutions in both locations. Several other organisations and research The stations represent an important preparedness installations are located in or around Longyear- resource for search and rescue operations, and byen. These include EISCAT (European Incoher- make logistics available to public institutions dur- ent Scatter Scientific Association), which owns ing (short-term) missions of benefit to society. and operates an antenna facility outside Longyear- Trust Arktikugol has been facilitating research byen for exploring the upper atmosphere. This activity in the mining community of Barentsburg organisation is owned by research councils and since 1962. Most of the research conducted today institutes in the member countries of Finland, is associated with the Russian Academy of Japan, China, Norway, the UK and Sweden. The Sciences, Roshydromet, and the Polar Marine Geo- Centre for Polar Ecology, which is part of the Uni- logical Research Expedition. The Arctic Antarctic versity of South Bohemia, Czech Republic, was Research Institute (AARI), an institute affiliated opened in Longyearbyen in 2014. with Roshydromet, plays an increasingly larger Ny-Ålesund has been developed as a research role. The research conducted covers a range of dis- community where several international institutions ciplines including archaeology, geology, hydrology, are active. The state-owned company Kings Bay AS atmospheric research, oceanography and geophys- owns land and buildings, and is in charge of opera- ics. Barentsburg’s research facilities have been tions, with the exceptions of the Sverdrup station, upgraded in recent years, with installation of a sat- which is owned by Statsbygg and rented by the ellite ground station and new chemical laborato- Norwegian Polar Institute, and the geodetic obser- ries, among other improvements. vatory, which is owned by the Norwegian Mapping The Institute for Geophysics at the Polish Authority. Ny-Ålesund is the world’s northernmost Academy of Sciences has since 1957 had a year-round research community. Since research research station based in Hornsund. This station activity began there in the 1970s, and particularly has been permanently manned since 1978. It is over the past 10–15 years, considerable govern- also used as a base for visiting researchers from 72 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard various – primarily Polish – institutions. The sta- In 2013 the Office of the Auditor General of tion has been expanded and is fully operational, Norway performed an audit on the utilisation of with research being conducted in meteorology, research infrastructure in Norwegian areas of the geophysics, glaciology, and ionospheric and Arctic, and concluded that some Norwegian atmospheric science. research infrastructure on Svalbard could be bet- SINTEF established a field laboratory in 1984 ter utilised (Document 3:13 (2013–2014)). In par- in Svea, where it conducts technological research ticular, the Office of the Auditor General men- in cooperation with UNIS and private-sector part- tioned the potential to increase utilisation of the ners. The level of activity is increasing, and there Sverdrup station and the marine laboratory in Ny- is a general increase in demand for facilities for Ålesund. This conclusion was based on the num- research, development, testing and education in ber of research days in Ny-Ålesund between Arctic climate. Svea’s climate and geology afford 2011–2013, with statistics showing a decline in the stable fjord ice conditions and are conducive to share of Norwegian research days and low activ- research activity on topics such as dealing effec- ity during the winter. The Storting has asked the tively with oil in ice, environment and security, Government to consider measures to increase uti- construction and geotechnology, geology, materi- lisation of research infrastructure in Svalbard, als technology, Arctic operations and safety, edu- including measures to increase Norwegian cation and training. Svea’s coal-mining operation research activity in Ny-Ålesund (Storting resolu- is currently suspended. In the time ahead, the tion of 25 November 2014 No. 34). The underutili- Government will look into the continued manage- sation was largely rectified in 2014 and 2015. Nor- ment of Svea’s building stock and infrastructure wegian and international interest in the marine after a possible decision to discontinue mining laboratory has grown substantially in recent operations. years, and utilisation reached record levels in Several infrastructure investments have been 2014 and 2015, partly because UNIS began using made in recent years for the benefit of research the laboratory in connection with its study pro- and higher education activity in Svalbard. This grammes. Although several measures have been applies not least in Ny-Ålesund, where the Norwe- implemented, it is important to stay mindful of the gian state, through Kings Bay AS, has invested need to increase utilisation of scientific infrastruc- resources in further developing basic infrastruc- ture in Svalbard and to have strategies to do so. ture and new services for research purposes. SIOS is an important measure in this regard (see Kings Bay Marine Laboratory, which opened in discussion in Box 8.2). In general, importance will 2005, is particularly well suited to conducting be attached to achieving positive synergy and a research in marine ecology, physiology and bio- practical balance between Norwegian-owned and chemistry, though it can also accommodate stud- foreign-owned research infrastructure in the com- ies in oceanography, marine geology and physics. ing years. The Zeppelin station is one of the most central sta- Nearly 1,000 researchers from around 30 coun- tions in a global network for atmospheric meas- tries visit the archipelago annually in connection urements coordinated by the World Meteorologi- with fieldwork.2 Many of them are affiliated to cal Organization (WMO). The unique interna- Norwegian or international institutions that con- tional scientific community and good access to duct research on a permanent basis in Longyear- both Norwegian and international advanced byen, Ny-Ålesund, Hornsund or Barentsburg. research equipment provide opportunities for Measured in research days3, the number of high-quality scientific research. Common facilities researchers in Svalbard has increased by around and services provided by Kings Bay AS, such as 120 per cent in the past 10–15 years. Researchers the marine laboratory and the canteen, have con- from Norwegian institutions account for more tributed significantly to international cooperation than half the registered research days. Although in Ny-Ålesund. In 2015 the job of laying fibre-optic the level of Norwegian research activity has cable between Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund was completed. This is a prerequisite for development 2 Svalbard Science Forum: Estimates based on data registe- of a new geodesic observatory for the Norwegian red in the Research in Svalbard database. Mapping Authority and also helps improve condi- 3 NIFU:2015. The term research days indicates how many tions for research and environmental monitoring days were spent in Svalbard for research purposes, but is not an exact measurement of the amount of research. For in Ny-Ålesund. The new observatory is currently example, data and observations gathered during research under construction and is expected to be ready for stays in Svalbard are normally processed at the home insti- use in 2018. tution instead of in Svalbard. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 73 Svalbard

Figure 8.1 The Norwegian Mapping Authority’s new geodetic observatory in Ny-Ålesund. The observatory is due to be completed in 2018. Photo: Martin Nerhus Øen/Veidekke Arctic increased substantially and is by far the highest better coordination of research activity in Sval- measured, in terms of both research publication bard. and research days in Svalbard, the Norwegian Coordination in Svalbard in general and in Ny- share has decreased slightly. This is due to a Ålesund in particular was also a key issue in the greater increase in activity levels for international previous white paper on Svalbard. The Norwegian institutions overall than for Norwegian institu- authorities have implemented several measures to tions, though the trends in Longyearbyen and Ny- this end, first and foremost by further developing Ålesund have varied somewhat. The Norwegian and strengthening entities and services whose share of research days in Longyearbyen has purpose is to enhance coordination. increased. In Ny-Ålesund, the number of Norwe- The previous white paper (Report No. 22 gian research days has increased, but the share of (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard) signalled a Norwegian research days has decreased due to a stronger coordinating role for the Svalbard Sci- higher level of activity for the international institu- ence Forum (SSF). SSF is composed of the key tions. The Norwegian share of research days national and international research actors in Sval- there in 2014 was 35 per cent, about the same as bard, with representation by the four research in 2010. During the period 1996–2000, when there locations: Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund, Barents- were fewer international research institutions in burg and Hornsund. SSF received a new, rein- Ny-Ålesund, the Norwegian share was over 50 per forced mandate from the Ministry of Education cent. and Research in 2011. The Research Council of Norway leads the forum and serves as the secre- tariat. SSF’s secretariat manages and operates the 8.2.2 Stronger need for coordination Research in Svalbard database (RiS). The data- The growing international interest in research in base is owned by the Research Council of Norway. Svalbard contributes to knowledge development While is not compulsory to register research in the Arctic. The objective is for this to happen in activity conducted in Svalbard in the RiS database, accordance with Norwegian research policy, it is strongly encouraged. Moreover, from 2015 which places emphasis on international research the Governor of Svalbard requires RiS database and infrastructure cooperation and on open registration for research projects that need the access to data and publications. At the same time, Governor’s permission for passage, etc. pursuant the high level of interest puts pressure on vulnera- to the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act. ble areas in nature, creating a need for clearer and The Svalbard Science Forum, Svalbard’s Environ- 74 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

the Svalbard Strategic Grant (SSG) and the Arctic Field Grant (AFG). Both Norwegian and interna- Box 8.1 The Norwegian Mapping tional actors may apply to these. Authority’s new geodetic earth An important government institution is the observatory in Ny-Ålesund Norwegian Polar Institute, which serves as The Norwegian Mapping Authority’s observa- adviser to the Norwegian authorities on scientific tory in Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost of its and strategic matters. The Norwegian Polar Insti- kind in a global network of geodetic stations. It tute has a permanent staff deployed in Svalbard, receives signals from quasars, which are dis- and holds a central position in Svalbard and in tant celestial bodies located up to 13 billion Norwegian polar research in general. The insti- light-years out in space. When collated with tute plays a key coordinating role in Ny-Ålesund measurements elsewhere on the earth, this by acting as the secretariat for the Ny-Ålesund Sci- indicates movements in the earth’s surface ence Managers Committee (NySMAC), a body for with millimetre precision as well as how fast voluntary coordination for all institutions with per- the earth is rotating and the exact position of manent activity and large-scale research projects the earth in space. This is important for satel- in Ny-Ålesund. The institute also hosts Norwegian lite-based infrastructure, among other things. researchers and researchers from international The new facility, a major investment by Nor- institutions not established in Ny-Ålesund. The way, provides enhanced measurement accu- Norwegian Polar Institute is therefore well placed racy and represents a substantial contribution to both facilitate and coordinate research activity to global cooperation in earth observation. in Svalbard, and is one of the tools available for The earth observatory is the northernmost managing and developing Norway’s role as host. observatory of its kind, and is part of a global See Box 8.4. observation and research network. The obser- A particularly important initiative that can vatory will be upgraded with new technology help strengthen coordination is the Svalbard and will combine multiple geodetic measure- Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System ment techniques, resulting in enhanced meas- (SIOS). SIOS is organising cooperation to facili- urement accuracy. The new observatory, with tate mutual access to infrastructure and data a cost framework of around NOK 300 million, already established in Svalbard by Norwegian will be completed in 2018. and international institutions. This cooperation will offer researchers new opportunities to con- tribute to interdisciplinary studies of the earth system, where measurements associated with mental Protection Fund and the Research Council ocean currents, atmospheric and geological con- of Norway also have registration requirements for ditions, the extent of ice and snow, and plants and projects receiving financial support. In Ny- animals interconnect in complex patterns. This Ålesund and at the research station in Hornsund demands far more expertise, infrastructure and there are internal procedures for registering in measurement data than any single research insti- the database. All in all, development of the RiS tution can provide. Svalbard is well suited to this database has improved the overview of research type of research, partly because climate and envi- activity in Svalbard to the benefit of both the ronmental changes are easy to observe in the authorities and the research communities, and Arctic. In addition to the scientific benefits, the has made it possible to significantly improve coor- objective is improved coordination, resource uti- dination of research activity. lisation and scientific quality. The project will also SSF has contributed to the development of promote transparency in research activity and plans and priorities for research in Ny-Ålesund alleviate the pressure on nature and the environ- with initiatives for joint research programmes ment. (flagship programmes) in Ny-Ålesund. SSF also In order to achieve these objectives, it is advises the Governor of Svalbard in cases where important to gain the participation of as many that office processes applications by researchers research communities as possible with relevant and research institutions for passage, etc. pursu- infrastructure in Svalbard. The Government will ant to the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act. facilitate further development of SIOS from a pre- Furthermore, SSF assists the Research Council of liminary project into an established cooperative Norway in managing two support programmes for organisation. This is described in more detail in research cooperation and fieldwork in Svalbard: section 8.3.3. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 75 Svalbard

Box 8.2 Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS) The Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing collected data. SIOS also helps improve coordi- System (SIOS) is a Norwegian-initiated interna- nation of new initiatives and research priorities. tional cooperation project aimed at enhancing The Research Council of Norway led the pre- knowledge about global climate and environ- paratory phase, with participation by all institu- mental changes, with a basis in infrastructure in tions conducting permanent research activity in Svalbard. The participants include several Nor- Svalbard. The preliminary project received fund- wegian and international institutions with ing from the EU’s Seventh Framework Pro- research infrastructure relevant for earth sys- gramme and was concluded in 2014. In 2015 a tem science. ‘Infrastructure’ in this case refers Norwegian consortium led by UNIS and the to laboratories, observatories, field equipment, Norwegian Polar Institute started an interim etc. SIOS itself neither owns nor operates the project which, with Norwegian and international research infrastructure, but facilitates mutual partner institutions, will prepare core services access to existing equipment and the sharing of in the future SIOS cooperation project.

The Svalbard Science Centre also aids coordi- nation through co-location of the central research 8.3 Policy instruments and measures institutions and serving as an important meeting place. An evaluation of the Svalbard Science Cen- 8.3.1 Further development of UNIS tre4 shows that it has contributed to increased Cooperation between UNIS and the mainland uni- cooperation and exchange of expertise between versities has been strengthened in recent years the Norwegian Polar Institute, UNIS and Svalbard through the cooperation agreement in 2011, a new Museum, and to improved information activity, quota system in 2014, and an annual meeting of logistics and support. the deans of the faculties involved. The aim has No consolidated, overall national strategy cur- been to ensure that all courses and subjects taken rently exists for research and higher education in by students at UNIS be included in examinations Svalbard. Each institution by and large prepares and study programmes at the mainland university. its own activity plans. Certain initiatives establish There is nonetheless a need to further develop some constraints; this is especially the case with cooperation so as to make use of UNIS’s potential, respect to the Research Council of Norway’s Pol- to meet the requirement that 50 per cent of stu- icy for Norwegian Polar Research 2014–2023 and dents come from Norwegian institutions, and to the respective flagship programmes in Ny- improve predictability for UNIS and the universi- Ålesund (discussed in section 8.3.4). SIOS will ties. It is particularly important to develop the also set forth a common strategy for further devel- cooperation on relevant study programmes at the opment and cooperation on the use of research universities and the course portfolio at UNIS in infrastructure. order to better facilitate stays at UNIS in more of There is therefore a need to clarify a direction its study programmes. UNIS will assess and for the types of research and higher education revise its quota scheme in 2016. activity that should be prioritised in Svalbard. The In the further development of UNIS, consider- Government will therefore take the initiative to ation must also be given to whether students develop an overall strategy for research in Sval- could complete a larger part of their bachelor or bard. The framework for this task is discussed in master theses at UNIS and whether UNIS ought more detail in section 8.3. to offer more of the basic courses that make up bachelor and master degree programmes. This in order to give more candidates from Norwegian universities a stronger Arctic academic profile and help utilise UNIS’s capacity outside the fieldwork season. 4 ‘Svalbard forskningspark: Etterevaluering, desember 2014’ (Svalbard Science Centre: Ex-post evaluation, December The Government wants to maintain and 2014). Erik Whist, Gro Holst Volden, Knut Samset, Morten develop UNIS as a unique institution for univer- Welde and Inger Lise Tyholt Grindvoll (NTNU 2014). sity-level studies and research in Svalbard, with a 76 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Box 8.3 University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) is the courses that are taught must be part of ordinary world’s northernmost higher education institu- courses of study at mainland universities. tion, and over the past 20 years or so it has UNIS’s centre for auroral research, the Kjell expanded from a programme for a few Norwe- Henriksen Observatory, is situated on Mine 7 gian students to a world-class university centre Mountain in Adventdalen. In addition to the self- for Arctic studies. UNIS trains candidates with financed research in the four subject areas, polar expertise for work in public administra- UNIS participates in several externally financed tion, the private sector and polar research. UNIS cooperative projects, among them the Birkeland is highly popular with students from around the Centre for Space Science (BCSS), which is a world, and promotes international cooperation Centre of Excellence at the University of Ber- and networks. gen. Other examples are the Sustainable Arctic UNIS was originally created as a cooperative Marine and Coastal Technology (SAMCoT) at project among the four universities in 1993, but the Norwegian University of Science and Tech- is now a limited liability company under the Min- nology and the Research Centre for Arctic istry of Education and Research. All instruction Petroleum Exploration (ARCEx) at the Arctic is conducted in English, and the programmes University of Norway. UNIS also participates in are based on international research. UNIS a Centre of Excellence in Education initiative in offers study programmes in four disciplines: biology (bioCeed) at the University of Ber- Arctic biology, Arctic geology, Arctic geophysics gen.UNIS has received support from the Minis- and Arctic technology. Most of the instruction is try of Foreign Affairs to establish a new Arctic based on field activities and excursions, so the Safety Centre in Longyearbyen. The Arctic activity level is lower during the darkest time of Safety Centre is a cooperative project between year. UNIS has office space in the Svalbard Sci- the Norwegian University of Science and Tech- ence Centre and provides most of its instruction nology, SINTEF, the Norwegian Polar Institute, there, though some instruction also takes place the Governor of Svalbard, Pole Position Logis- in Ny-Ålesund and Svea, as well as in the field. tics, SvalSat, the Longyearbyen Community UNIS is not accredited as a university, and the Council, Lufttransport and Visit Svalbard.

range of academic programmes and research gian institutions, and to improve predictability activity that capitalise on the natural advantages of for both UNIS and the universities. the location. The UNIS board of directors has con- sidered different scenarios for developing the institution. These scenarios describe both for 8.3.2 Improved quality and scientific potential academic expansion based on today’s leadership natural sciences and technology profile, and new Norwegian research, expertise and presence are potential subject areas that also meet the require- important if Norway is to have access to – and ment of Arctic relevance, such as tourism and contribute to – the international knowledge fron- security in the Arctic. Future expansion of UNIS tier in the Arctic. At the same time, the nature of would require further expansion of the premises the research is international, and Norwegian Sval- at the Svalbard Science Centre. bard research is an integral part of international The Government will: research. An expressed objective is to develop – Maintain and further develop UNIS as a unique and utilise both Norwegian and international institution for university-level studies and expertise in different disciplines and thematic research on Svalbard, with a range of academic areas. It is also desirable and natural to have Nor- programmes and research activity that capital- wegian leadership in key research fields. This ise on the natural advantages of the location. requires central Norwegian research groups to be – Facilitate further cooperation between UNIS present, with high scientific quality, sufficient vol- and mainland universities to make the most of ume and strong international partners. UNIS’s potential, to satisfy the requirement Norwegian polar researchers are generally that 50 per cent of students come from Norwe- attractive partners for international polar research 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 77 Svalbard

Box 8.4 Norwegian Polar Institute The Norwegian Polar Institute is the central gov- tions, field equipment and transport. Along with ernment institution for mapping, environmental UNIS, the Norwegian Polar Institute provides monitoring and management-related research in important logistical services to many Norwe- the Arctic and Antarctic. The institute serves as gian and international research partners in Sval- adviser to the central Norwegian administration bard. In addition to its offices in Longyearbyen, on scientific and strategic matters and as scien- the institute has a research station in Ny- tific adviser to the Norwegian Environment Ålesund and owns an air monitoring station on Agency and the Governor of Svalbard. The insti- Zeppelin Mountain. The institute’s research ves- tute conducts extensive activities in Svalbard, sel, Lance, is also in regular use around Sval- including research, environmental monitoring, bard. In 2012 the Storting approved a resolution topographic mapping, geologic mapping, to build Kronprins Haakon, a new icebreaker research and logistics services, operation of research vessel. The Norwegian Polar Institute research stations, lighthouse inspection and is charged with managing ownership of the ves- advisory tasks. The institute is a key knowledge sel on behalf of the Norwegian state. The Insti- producer and possesses broad research-based tute of Marine Research will have operating expertise in areas where the environmental responsibility and will lead the expeditions com- management authorities have direct manage- mittee for the vessel. The Norwegian Polar Insti- ment responsibility in the High North and polar tute is charged with managing ownership of the regions or serve as a key driving force in both vessel on behalf of the Norwegian state. The national and international processes. Further- Institute of Marine Research will have operating more, the Norwegian Polar Institute develops, responsibility and will lead the expeditions com- revises and leads the Environmental Monitoring mittee for the vessel. The expeditions commit- of Svalbard and Jan Mayen (MOSJ). Another tee will consist of the Norwegian Polar Institute, important task of the institute is to help stimu- the Institute of Marine Research, and the Arctic late and coordinate national and international University of Norway. According to plans, research in Svalbard through cooperation on Kronpris Haakon will be ready for scientific research projects and by granting access to the expeditions in 2018, with Tromsø as its home institute’s infrastructure, such as research sta- port.

cooperation. Norway has strong research commu- The Government’s objective is for Svalbard to nities with active research activity in Svalbard and, be used for high-quality research in priority areas. in a number of areas, leading expertise. Scientific A 2015 report by the Nordic Institute for Studies leadership is developed and expressed through in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU), international research cooperation. The Svalbard titled Norsk polarforskning – forskning på Svalbard research is distinguished by its high level of inter- (Norwegian polar research: Research in Sval- national cooperation. About half of the articles have bard), shows that, regardless of nationality, arti- international co-authors. Norwegian polar cles dealing with Svalbard are less frequently researchers represent the most important coopera- cited than the global average for articles dealing tion partner for international researchers in Sval- with polar research. The relatively low citation bard. This suggests solid Norwegian leadership in count may be due to the research topic or project Svalbard research. As many as three of four Norwe- design, but it may also indicate that the quality of gian articles dealing with Svalbard were co-written international research in Svalbard could be better. by authors from other countries. This is positive, In any case, the Government is concerned with and there is a wish to maintain and further develop emphasising quality in the future work of facilitat- this position. Conducting research in Svalbard must ing research activity in Svalbard. therefore be made more attractive to Norwegian The Government will: researchers. At issue are the academic and social – Continue the focus on polar research and the environments, the design of funding programmes, special emphasis on Svalbard research, in infrastructure, and research opportunities for both order to help strengthen the volume and qual- established and young Norwegian researchers. ity of Norwegian research in Svalbard. The 78 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Box 8.5 Research Council of Norway The Research Council of Norway acts as the wegian polar research. Furthermore, the central government adviser on research policy Research Council of Norway has regional issues, and annually allocates about NOK 9 bil- responsibility to facilitate more research-based lion to research and innovation projects. economic development in Troms county. In 2015 Through its programmes and schemes, the the area of responsibility was expanded to Research Council of Norway funds several include Svalbard, and the Research Council’s research projects and activities in Svalbard. In work with the business community in Svalbard addition, the Research Council of Norway man- was consequently intensified. The regionally ages the two support programmes Arctic Field responsible body cooperates with Innovation Grant and Svalbard Strategic Grant, based on Norway Troms and Svalbard. The Research recommendations and advice from the Svalbard Council of Norway has a permanent presence in Science Forum (SSF). The Research Council of Longyearbyen by virtue of its responsibility as Norway regularly initiates surveys of resource secretariat for SSF. input and scientific publication activity in Nor-

Government will also consider possible meas- and clarifying priorities and conditions for ures to encourage Norwegian researchers to research activity. The aim is to achieve higher take advantage of the research opportunities quality, more cooperation, transparency and shar- available in Ny-Ålesund. ing, and better utilisation of resources across insti- – Facilitate increased international cooperation tutional and national boundaries. Therefore, more through bilateral and multilateral arrange- emphasis should be placed on generally accepted ments. Horizon 2020 also advertises funding criteria for developing and measuring quality with for Arctic research. The general policy instru- respect to utilising infrastructure and limited ments available through the Research Council resources. International cooperation should be of Norway, including those that encourage further promoted. Research findings, data and Norwegian participation in Horizon 2020, will infrastructure should be made more easily availa- contribute to this. ble for mutual access and sharing. – Conduct a review of research on Svalbard and The Government will develop an overall strat- consider how policy instruments can be egy for research and higher education in Sval- directed with even greater effect towards both bard. The strategy should communicate Norway’s increasing Norwegian Svalbard research and expectations for the knowledge communities in encouraging the international research com- Svalbard and give direction for further develop- munity to cite such research. ment in different geographic and thematic areas. This particularly applies to expectations regarding cooperation, transparency and sharing of data 8.3.3 Clear Norwegian role as host across institutional and national boundaries. The Interest in the Arctic is steadily growing, both strategy should contribute to quality, effective nationally and internationally, and institutions resource utilisation and transparency with regard from more and more countries are contributing to the international activity in the archipelago. It with Svalbard-based research activity. Norway should also be a tool for setting priorities when facilitates research and higher education in Sval- expanding and using infrastructure, services and bard, and will actively continue scientific research scientific activity in vulnerable nature areas in and and practise a clear policy for hosting such activ- around Svalbard that will reduce the need for ity. Research activity in Svalbard will be conducted infrastructure development and traffic through in line with relevant Norwegian regulations; see the natural environment. Moreover, the strategy Chapter 5, ‘Legislation’, and Chapter 7, ‘Environ- should identify instruments and measures for pur- mental protection’. suing objectives and strategies, and identify prior- The Government will further develop Nor- ity areas to which Norwegian research can con- way’s hosting policy by improving coordination tribute with especially good effect. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 79 Svalbard

The Research Council of Norway will be enhance cooperation. The Svalbard Science tasked with proposing such a strategy, based on a Forum is an important arena for achieving this wide-ranging process involving central authori- objective. ties, the Governor of Svalbard, and all actors The Government will: undertaking research and educational activity in – Develop an overall strategy for research and Svalbard. The Research Council will also have pri- higher education in Svalbard. The Research mary responsibility for evaluating how the strat- Council of Norway will have responsibility for egy is implemented. preparing a strategy proposal on the basis of a Based on the strategy, broad cooperation will wide-ranging process. Central government be facilitated on research infrastructure and data authorities, the Governor of Svalbard, the busi- for earth system science through the Svalbard ness community and all research and higher Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS) education organisations in Svalbard will be (see discussion in section 8.2.2). The establish- involved. The Research Council will also have ment of a consortium, through a memorandum of primary responsibility for evaluating how the understanding (MoU) between the participating strategy is implemented. institutions, is envisaged. The consortium will – Facilitate formal establishment of SIOS in the form its own governing bodies where participants course of 2016. As the host of SIOS, Norway will make decisions regarding organisation and will help cover a significant share of the priorities. The consortium’s decisions and the expenses. The participating institutions are SIOS cooperation shall operate within the frame- also expected to contribute through member- work set by the Norwegian authorities for ship fees and other resources. research activity in Svalbard. A non-profit limited – Further develop the Svalbard Science Forum liability company, wholly owned by UNIS, will be (SSF) and the Research Council of Norway’s established to attend to recruitment, agreements, office in Longyearbyen. Objectives, tasks and the secretariat function and services the consor- roles will be updated in a new revision of the tium will need. SIOS will produce maximal syn- mandate. The Research Council’s stimulus ergy if all central Norwegian and international funding and support programmes related to research institutions in Svalbard actively partici- SSF will be designed in line with the priorities pate. in the strategy. To improve overview and coordination, it is important to further develop the Svalbard Science Forum (SSF), SSF’s secretariat, and the Research 8.3.4 Issues specific to Ny-Ålesund Council of Norway’s office in Longyearbyen. This The Government wishes to strengthen Norway’s will prove extremely useful to established role as host and coordinator of research activity in research communities and new researchers arriv- Ny-Ålesund. Ny-Ålesund shall be a platform for ing in Svalbard. The Arctic Field Grant and Sval- world-class, international scientific research coop- bard Strategic Grant funding programmes are eration, with Norway in a clear role as host and important for international cooperation, but they with professional standing and leadership in rele- should be designed, more so than they are today, vant areas. There is a need, meanwhile, for more to encourage activity aligned with research priori- clearly defined strategic priorities, improved aca- ties. The proposed strategy for research and demic and practical coordination, and more sys- higher education will provide a good basis for this. tematic development and management of building At the same time, SSF’s information and dissemi- stock and infrastructure. nation activities should be intensified in order to Activity should be be more clearly aligned with improve the overview of research projects and the overriding research objectives, with a basis in make it easier for research communities to find research priorities, scientific quality, a greater and enter into cooperation with each other. There level of cooperation, and open sharing of data and is also a need to further develop the RiS database results. A gradual shift is also desired away from with a view to improving, among other things, the research stations located in separate buildings to effectiveness of the Governor of Svalbard’s proce- centres thematically aligned with priority areas dures for processing applications to conduct field- and equipped for shared use. work pursuant to environmental legislation. The A research strategy for Ny-Ålesund will be objective is to have all the research communities developed with a view, in part, to strengthening in Svalbard use the database to enter information Norway’s role as host and supporting its Svalbard regarding their activity and actively use it to policy. Such a strategy will be a useful tool for 80 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Figure 8.2 Ny-Ålesund. Photo: Max König, Norwegian Polar Institute assessing and allocating time and space in exist- egy in Ny-Ålesund in consultation with the ing buildings and laboratories. It will also provide Research Council of Norway and with relevant a basis and guidelines for long-term plans for fur- ministries and actors. The Norwegian Polar Insti- ther development of infrastructure, buildings and tute already has a presence in Ny-Ålesund. The services in Ny-Ålesund. This will also form a basis institute is a key research actor with professional for communicating clear expectations to all actors standing and international credibility, and is the in Ny-Ålesund. Norwegian state’s principal body for protecting The research strategy should be seen in the Norwegian interests in the polar regions. These context of the overall strategy for research and aspects are vital prerequisites for satisfactorily higher education in Svalbard. The Research Coun- implementing the strategy. cil of Norway will be responsible for drawing up the research strategy for Ny-Ålesund, in consulta- tion with the relevant ministries and with Norwe- Organisation, operation and ownership gian and international research communities. The research strategy will provide guidelines for This process should secure sufficient support and the development and operation of infrastructure breadth of participation among scientists while in Ny-Ålesund. In the future, operational responsi- and at the same time protect the various Norwe- bility for Ny-Ålesund should be seen in the con- gian research interests in Svalbard. text of implementing the research strategy. Since The Norwegian Polar Institute, which is a the Norwegian Polar Institute will coordinate the directorate organised under the Ministry of Cli- operative implementation of the research strategy, mate and Environment, will be responsible for it is natural that responsibility for managing state implementing and following up the research strat- ownership in Kings Bay AS be transferred from 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 81 Svalbard

Box 8.6 Kings Bay AS Kings Bay AS owns land, facilities and most of arctic Administration, Consiglio Nazionale delle the building stock in Ny-Ålesund, and provides Ricerche, the German Research Centre for Geo- services to the research activity conducted sciences, Institut Polaire Francais/Paul Emile there. The company also owns Kings Bay Victor, the Korea Polar Research Institute, Marine Laboratory. Many Norwegian and inter- India’s National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean national research institutions rent buildings and Research, Japan’s National Institute of Polar facilities from Kings Bay. The Norwegian ten- Research, the British Antarctic Survey and the ants are: the Norwegian Polar Institute, the Nor- Arctic Centre of the University of Groningen. wegian Institute for Air Research, the Norwe- Kings Bay AS owns and maintains Svalbard’s gian Mapping Authority, the Northern Research largest collection of automatically listed heritage Institute (NORUT), the Andøya Space Center buildings. These valuable cultural heritage sites and the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). have been cared for and repaired, but the pro- The international institutions are: the Alfred tection regulations impose some constraints on Wegener Institute, the Chinese Arctic and Ant- how the building stock is used and developed.

the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to – Give the Norwegian Polar Institute responsibil- the Ministry of Climate and Environment. This ity for operational implementation and monitor- will help concentrate and clarify responsibility for ing of the research strategy in Ny-Ålesund. In following up the overriding objectives and strate- order to appropriately follow up the strategy in gies for Ny-Ålesund and enable relevant issues to Ny-Ålesund, regular dialogue will be estab- be viewed in broader context. As planned, respon- lished between the Research Council, the Nor- sibility for managing the state’s ownership in wegian Polar Institute, Kings Bay and the rele- Kings Bay AS will be transferred from the Minis- vant ministries. try of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to the Minis- – Transfer responsibility for managing the try of Climate and Environment on 1 January state’s ownership in Kings Bay AS from the 2017. Responsibility for managing the state’s own- Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to ership in Bjørnøen AS, which owns land and build- the Ministry of Climate and Environment with ings of historical significance on Bjørnøya and is effect from 1 January 2017. The purpose is to administratively subordinate to Kings Bay AS, will coordinate implementation of the research simultaneously be transferred from the Ministry strategy with operation and development of Ny- of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to the Ministry Ålesund. Responsibility for managing the of Climate and Environment. Consideration will state’s ownership in Bjørnøen AS, which is also be given to whether the ownership rights administratively subordinate to Kings Bay AS, held by Kings Bay AS and Bjørnøen AS to the land will also be transferred simultaneously from in Ny-Ålesund and on Bjørnøya should be trans- the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries ferred to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and to the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Fisheries, which manages all state-owned land in Svalbard. The Government will: 8.4 Summary – Strengthen coordination in Ny-Ålesund through the development of a research strategy The Government will: for Ny-Ålesund by spring 2017. The research – Maintain and further develop UNIS as a unique strategy for Ny-Ålesund should be seen in the institution for university-level studies and context of the overall strategy for research and research on Svalbard, with a range of academic higher education in Svalbard and should sup- programmes and research activity that capital- port Norway’s role as host and its research pol- ises on the natural advantages of the location. icy in Svalbard. The Research Council of Nor- – Facilitate further cooperation between UNIS way will have responsibility for drawing up a and mainland universities to make the most of strategy in cooperation with the relevant actors, UNIS’s potential, to satisfy the requirement research bodies and ministries. that 50 per cent of students come from Norwe- 82 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

gian institutions, and to improve predictability – Further develop the Svalbard Science Forum for both UNIS and the universities. (SSF) and the Research Council of Norway’s – Continue the focus on polar research and the office in Longyearbyen. Objectives, tasks and special emphasis on Svalbard research, in roles will be updated in a new revision of the order to help strengthen the volume and qual- mandate. The Research Council of Norway’s ity of Norwegian research in Svalbard. stimulus funding and support programmes – Consider possible measures to encourage Nor- related to SSF will be designed in line with the wegian scientists to take advantage of the priorities in the strategy. research opportunities available in Ny- – Strengthen coordination in Ny-Ålesund Ålesund. through the development of a research strat- – Facilitate increased international cooperation egy for Ny-Ålesund by spring 2017. The through bilateral and multilateral arrange- research strategy for Ny-Ålesund should be ments. Horizon 2020 also advertises funding seen in the context of the overall strategy for for Arctic research. The general policy instru- research and higher education in Svalbard and ments available through the Research Council should support Norway’s role as host and its of Norway, including those that encourage research policy in Svalbard. The Research Norwegian participation in Horizon 2020, will Council of Norway will have responsibility for contribute to this. drawing up a strategy in cooperation with the – Conduct a review of research on Svalbard and relevant actors, research bodies and minis- consider how policy instruments can be tries. directed with even greater effect towards both – Give the Norwegian Polar Institute responsibil- increasing Norwegian Svalbard research and ity for operational implementation and monitor- encouraging the international research com- ing of the research strategy in Ny-Ålesund. In munity to cite such research. order to appropriately follow the strategy in Ny- – Develop an overall strategy for research and Ålesund, regular dialogue will be established higher education in Svalbard. The Research between the Research Council, the Norwegian Council of Norway will have responsibility for Polar Institute, Kings Bay and the relevant min- preparing a strategy proposal on the basis of a istries. broad-based process. Central government – Transfer responsibility for managing the authorities, the Governor of Svalbard, the busi- state’s ownership of Kings Bay AS from the ness community and all research and higher Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to education organisations in Svalbard will be the Ministry of Climate and Environment with involved. The Research Council will also have effect from 1 January 2017. The purpose is to primary responsibility for evaluating how the coordinate implementation of the research strategy is implemented. strategy with operation and development of Ny- – Facilitate formal establishment of the Svalbard Alesund. Responsibility for managing the Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System state’s ownership in Bjørnøen AS, which is (SIOS) in 2016. As the host of SIOS, Norway administratively subordinate to Kings Bay AS, will help cover a significant share of the will also be transferred simultaneously from expenses. The participating institutions are the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries also expected to contribute through member- to the Ministry of Climate and Environment. ship fees and other resources. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 83 Svalbard

9 Economic activity

9.1 The business community in development of a more heterogeneous business Svalbard community in Svalbard is an advantage for future economic development and the creation of new Svalbard has a long tradition of economic activity. jobs. Activity in industries such as manufacturing, The economic activity began with hunting and construction and hotel and restaurant services trapping in the 1600s. In the 1900s, coal mining has brought about employment trends that in was initiated in Svalbard, and this industry has large part correspond with development in the been the foundation of the inhabited locations in mining operations. The coal-mining industry Svalbard. Through to the present day, this indus- remains important, with about 100 employees at try has made a significant contribution to stable, SNSK while the suspension of operations remains year-round activity in Longyearbyen. in effect. The SNSK group’s activity in Svalbard has Svalbard’s labour force, like that of Mainland- been an important element of the Svalbard policy. Norway, has become increasingly educated. Through the 1990s and 2000s, the company’s role Increased knowledge and the use of technology in Svalbard’s growing economy became less domi- create new opportunities for economic activity nant. The challenges in the 1990s resulted in an and new, sustainable and profitable jobs in Sval- active policy to modernise the community and bard as elsewhere. This means that jobs in future, stimulate a wider range of businesses. Steps have even more than to date, will be focused in other been taken to facilitate a more diversified busi- fields, so that a broader effort is needed now to ness community during this period, with resultant pave the way for new and diverse activities. There growth in tourism, trade, higher education, is reason to believe that such an approach will be research and space activity. This effort has proved the most effective way in the long run to stimulate successful. new jobs and thereby contribute to the continued The mining operation experienced an upsurge viability of the Longyearbyen community. There in the early 2000s, with plans for new operations at are also a number of specific challenges associ- Svea at the same time the tourism industry was ated with facilitating new economic activity in continuing to grow. In 2014 production started at Svalbard. This is a major reason there is a need Lunckefjell, but financial challenges linked to coal for close communication on current challenges prices led to an operational halt at the Lunckefjell between the local actors and public policy instru- mine in 2015. Although employment has fluctu- ments. ated from the 1990s to the present day, over time It is not the role of the authorities to point out there has been significant growth in the total num- which new enterprises and jobs may be relevant in ber of jobs in Longyearbyen. future. The authorities’ role, in the framework of The general trend visible in Svalbard today the Svalbard policy, is to facilitate the creation of has been under way for a long time. A gradual new jobs in industries where Svalbard has natural broadening of Longyearbyen’s industrial struc- advantages. Based on past experience and Sval- ture has made the community less dependent on bard’s position as a unique and exciting travel des- the coal industry. The businesses that have devel- tination, there appear to be solid opportunities, oped concurrently with coal mining are those that especially in tourism, to develop new jobs and also have natural advantages in Svalbard. This is workplaces. But the potential for new jobs and especially the case for tourism and research. But increased value creation exists also in the service there are also other businesses with significant industry, infrastructure and logistical services, employment in Svalbard, such as construction, the maritime sector and retail. services and public sector activity. The gradual 84 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

9.2 Future economic development in Longyearbyen Community Council Svalbard The Longyearbyen Community Council today A community with a heterogeneous business plays an important role in restructuring the Long- structure will be less vulnerable to changes in yearbyen community, and will do so going for- markets, individual industries and individual com- ward, too. The council is intimately familiar with panies. Developing the breadth and complexity of local conditions and knows the business commu- Svalbard’s business community is therefore desir- nity well. It also has a special responsibility for able. development within the Svalbard policy frame- It is naturally the case that new economic work, a responsibility also enshrined in section 29 activity in Svalbard occurs by and large within of the Svalbard Act. On that basis, the Longyear- industries that capitalise on either Svalbard’s byen Community Council has been allocated unique natural environment or its location. Eco- NOK 4.5 million towards restructuring and eco- nomic development and new activities in Svalbard nomic development efforts, primarily in Long- must therefore take place within Svalbard’s over- yearbyen. all environmental management framework. Good infrastructure is essential for developing The expanded economic activity will mainly be employment and stimulating economic develop- situated in Longyearbyen. The same applies for ment. There is currently a maintenance backlog industries like tourism, whose actual activity, for infrastructure measures in Longyearbyen. The while based in Longyearbyen, may occur else- Longyearbyen Community Council and the Minis- where in Svalbard. Public infrastructure is a foun- try of Justice and Public Security have both been dation for developing a more diverse business concerned about this for several years. To reduce community in Longyearbyen. New enterprises this maintenance backlog and simultaneously con- wishing to establish themselves need good infra- tribute to new jobs in the construction sector, structure, logistical services and access to land. NOK 22 million of the NOK 50 million total was Good land-use planning is therefore important for allotted to infrastructure projects in Longyear- economic development. By way of regulations and byen. the exercise of authority over land-use manage- ment, as well as state ownership of land and infra- structure, the authorities will have a large degree Svalbard Business Council of control over the establishment of new enter- It is important that those who know Longyear- prises. byen and the needs of its business community be included in the development of business-promo- tion measures. 9.2.1 Measures to strengthen activity and The Svalbard Business Council represents the the business community in business community and works to promote its Longyearbyen interests in the archipelago. The council received The Storting has already approved a proposal by NOK 0.5 million from the restructuring package the Government to allocate NOK 50 million for to facilitate restructuring and economic develop- restructuring measures to develop Longyearbyen ment efforts in Longyearbyen. The funds will help and facilitate new economic activity and jobs. This generate collaboration between the local business gets the work of restructuring and economic community and local authorities. development off to a good start. The restructuring funds are distributed to the Longyearbyen Com- munity Council, the Svalbard Business Council Policy instruments – Innovation Norway and the industrial policy instruments of Innova- Innovation Norway is a key tool of the state and tion Norway. Further development of Longyear- county authorities in their efforts to realise value byen is thus being facilitated with the help of creation and economic development. With its actors with both sound local knowledge and expe- experience in regional restructuring, Innovation rience in economic development and restructur- Norway can be an important contributor to the ing processes. restructuring work Svalbard now faces. Innova- tion Norway has received NOK 20 million in total from the restructuring package to enhance its presence in Longyearbyen and to develop and fund projects. A strengthened presence makes 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 85 Svalbard

Innovation Norway more visible and accessible to the local economic development actors. Special Box 9.1 Innovation Norway project funding to Innovation Norway, earmarked for Svalbard, can help the organisation provide Innovation Norway’s main purpose is to trig- support to specific local projects, thus contribut- ger business development that is profitable ing to economic development in Longyearbyen from both a commercial and a socio-economic and helping to achieve the Svalbard policy’s key perspective, and to unleash the business objectives. Depending on which projects are pro- potential of different regions, by pursuing the posed, it may be possible to award funds from subsidiary objectives of generating more suc- other national programmes administered by Inno- cessful entrepreneurs, more growth compa- vation Norway. In its work promoting new eco- nies, and more innovative business clusters. nomic development, Innovation Norway must The company administers policy instruments coordinate and exploit the expertise within its involving finance, expertise, promotion, net- own organisation and in other public policy instru- working and advisory services. By working ments. The company will work closely with the across different industries, regions and clus- Longyearbyen Community Council and the Sval- ters, Innovation Norway takes a comprehen- bard Business Council on the progress and pros- sive approach to value-creating business pects for creating new enterprises and jobs that development across a wide spectrum of Nor- support the objectives of the Svalbard policy. wegian enterprises. Experience gained from restructuring in other Innovation Norway has a decentralised local communities with special restructuring chal- office structure. It is Innovation Norway’s lenges indicates that success requires the partici- office in Tromsø that has had operational pation and support of local actors and key policy responsibility for Svalbard. Innovation Nor- instruments. way can support enterprises in Svalbard using To strengthen the possibility of creating a new funds from national programmes. There are business community in Svalbard, new expertise in no special regional policy funds earmarked for enterprise and innovation will be brought in. NOK Svalbard, but Innovation Norway is able to 3 million has therefore been allocated to prepare a provide some degree of support to enterprises special business and innovation strategy for Sval- in Svalbard within the bounds of the Ministry bard. The aim of the strategy effort is to gather of Local Government and Modernisation’s input and opinions from a variety of actors as a budget item titled ‘National measures for basis for reviewing and presenting the potential regional development’. The Ministry of Local that exists for Svalbard’s economic development Government and Modernisation also funds a in the longer term. Input will be needed from rele- national ‘centre of excellence’ for regional vant bodies of experts, including Innovation Nor- restructuring at Innovation Norway. This ena- way and the Research Council of Norway, and bles Innovation Norway to provide municipali- from a partnership of local actors such as the ties undergoing restructuring with expertise, Longyearbyen Community Council and the Sval- advice and work effort, including knowledge bard Business Council. The Ministry of Trade, transfer from the various restructuring pro- Industry and Fisheries will lead the strategy work, cesses the company has participated in over and the work will be anchored in the Interministe- time. rial Committee on the Polar Regions.

9.3 Objectives and framework for development of sustainable economic growth in future economic development general industrial policy. At the same time, consid- eration must be given to the special frameworks Sustainability and predictability have long consti- applicable to Svalbard. An adaptable business and tuted a fundamental element of the Svalbard pol- community and employees with the right exper- icy. That will continue to be the case. One of the tise provide the basis for developing new eco- key objectives of the policy is maintenance of Nor- nomic activity in Svalbard. Innovativeness and wegian communities in the archipelago. Like com- increased knowledge make it possible to adopt munities elsewhere, Svalbard’s is changing, and new technologies, which in turn can contribute to the development of new economic activity must be the development of new, sustainable enterprises based on the same principles that apply to the and jobs. 86 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

The Government’s commitment to economic about 60,000 guests overnighted in the archipel- development, new jobs and enterprises in Sval- ago in 2015. The number of overnight stays is, bard will build on the main elements listed below. nonetheless, modest compared with destinations The Government will: on the mainland. – Facilitate development of existing and new The latest available report, from 2014, shows industries within the overriding objectives of an occupancy rate for overnight accommodation the Svalbard policy. in Longyearbyen of 57 per cent. The tourism – Strengthen economic development efforts industry in 2014 employed 194 people directly and under the auspices of the Longyearbyen Com- contributed to 103 full-time-equivalent positions in munity Council and the relevant national policy related activity. The industry had approximately instruments in cooperation with existing busi- NOK 363 million in sales and generated a turno- ness interests in Longyearbyen, using funds ver in local purchases equivalent to approximately provided in the estimated accounts for 2015. NOK 137 million (Norwegian Institute for Urban – Facilitate conditions for the development of a and Regional Research/Longyearbyen Commu- more diversified business community. Prefera- nity Council). bly, the new jobs should be stable, year-round Growth in the Svalbard tourism industry, in and commercially profitable. terms of visitors, employment and number of – Facilitate development of a new, forward-look- companies, has occurred in waves. Particularly ing business and innovation strategy for Sval- strong growth was noted in the 1999–2001 period, bard. before levelling out in 2001–2005. A new peak in – Continuously assess the need for restructuring 2008 was followed by decline and stagnation that and economic development measures that sup- lasted until March 2013, when competition in air port the Svalbard policy objectives. travel to Svalbard contributed to renewed growth. Cruise tourism is an important part of tourism in Svalbard. Cruise tourism can be divided into 9.4 Economic activity in more detail two main segments: overseas cruises, with ships arriving from afar, and expedition cruises, with 9.4.1 The tourism industry Longyearbyen as the start and end point for The tourism industry has long been one of Sval- cruise journeys in the waters around the archipel- bard’s principal industries. In Report No. 50 ago. The ban on heavy fuel oil that was introduced (1990–1991) to the Storting on industrial policy with full effect from 2015 and compulsory pilot- measures in Svalbard, the Government wished to age, also introduced in 2015, have meant that facilitate the development of tourism as an indus- ships using heavy fuel oil and those without a pilot try in Svalbard. The focus on tourism was fol- on board are no longer permitted to sail in Sval- lowed up in Report No. 9 (1999–2000) to the bard’s protected areas. Storting Svalbard and in Report No. 22 (2008– Tourists and crew from overseas cruise ships 2009) to the Storting Svalbard, where it was are largely self-sufficient, but they contribute to asserted that the tourism industry had become an the retail trade in Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund important foundation of economic activity in the when they go ashore. Expedition cruises are gen- archipelago, particularly in Longyearbyen. Even erally combined with stays in Longyearbyen as the Government seeks to facilitate further before and after undertaking expeditions, and development of tourism, it is an overriding objec- therefore contribute somewhat to the local econ- tive that Svalbard shall be one of the world’s best- omy. The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise managed wilderness areas, and the best-pre- Operators (AECO) is an international organisa- served High Arctic destination in the world. The tion for expedition cruise operators operating in ambitious environmental objectives and strict the Arctic and for others with interests in this environmental legislation pertaining to Svalbard industry. AECO develops standards for responsi- will remain frameworks for the development of ble, environmentally friendly and safe operation of tourism. expedition cruises in the Arctic. Since the early 1990s, Svalbard has experi- The Svalbard Cruise Network (SCN) is com- enced gradual growth in tourism, as desired. The mitted to the development of cruise tourism to number of registered guest nights at hotels or Svalbard. One way cruise tourism can be used to guest houses has risen from barely 20,000 in 1991 create value in Longyearbyen is through product to about 131,000 guest nights in 2015. That means, and destination development in the city and given an average stay per visitor of 2.24 days, that Isfjorden. Cruise customers have spending power. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 87 Svalbard

Figure 9.1 Tourism – cruise ship with inflatable boats. Photo: Margrete Keyser, Office of the Governor of Svalbard

It is therefore important that provision is made for with activities in Longyearbyen. Examples of new a wide range of available services that encourage tourism products developed in recent years cruise passengers to take advantage of the com- include the conversion of Mine 3 into a museum mercial and cultural activities in Longyearbyen. and snowmobile trips to Svea that combine indus- Improved port infrastructure in Longyearbyen trial history with experiences of the magnificent should contribute to this. natural environment. Svalbard has received considerable attention Amidst rising international competition, con- in recent years. Nevertheless, the share of inter- tinuing development of tourism products is cru- national visitors has declined. Targeted interna- cial. As pointed out in section 6.3.2, Svalbard’s cul- tional marketing efforts have led to signs of an tural scene is also a resource in developing the increase in the percentage of international visi- tourism industry. The field of culture is a resource tors. If Svalbard is to perform well against the in terms of both the cultural expertise used in international competition, the promotion of Sval- developing goods and services and the experi- bard as a destination and the marketing and devel- ences and content of tourism products. For exam- opment of travel products must be correctly pack- ple, the museum and library are sources of insight aged and market-appropriate. into history, cultural heritage and cultural expres- sion. The cultural institutions have extensive experience in presentation and communication. Tourism products Artists can supplement the tourism industry’s out- Considering its size, Longyearbyen today offers a doors offerings with cultural experiences in the wide variety of tourism products. Many are experi- form of concerts, exhibitions and stage perfor- ences connected to nature, such as guided hikes mances. Practitioners of most of the arts come to in nearby areas, kayak trips, visits to caves under Svalbard. Cultural actors are also showing grow- glaciers, and snowmobile and dogsled safaris. Sur- ing interest in various issues and challenges rele- veys indicate that it is precisely these experiences, vant to the High North and Arctic areas. all related to pristine wilderness, that most tour- Food culture is of interest in this regard. Sev- ists wish to seek out. Despite today’s varied offer- eral businesses in Svalbard would like to offer ings, the potential exists to develop additional their customers local food, such as Svalbard rein- products – anything from multi-day expeditions to deer meat and fish from Isfjorden. Such offerings outdoor adventures and excursions combined help improve the tourism product and can reduce 88 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard the environmental impact associated with trans- positive trend towards year-round tourism, partly porting food. Environmental objectives and regu- as a result of aurora borealis tourism, but the lations, however, limit the harvesting of such polar night is still a low season. In order to facili- resources. Beer brewing in Svalbard illustrates tate year-round tourism, products must be devel- the consumer demand for locally sourced food oped that are attractive even in the dark. Since the and drink. Consideration will be given to the pos- polar night greatly limits the potential for activity sibility of adapting regulations in this area to bet- outside the Longyearbyen area, varying the activi- ter meet the tourism industry’s need and desire to ties and experiences available to visitors in the use local food resources. Any changes must be greater Longyearbyen area could help make the consistent with the legislation governing Sval- polar night more attractive and create more year- bard’s environment. round jobs. Several popular products are already There is no doubt that the cultural sector as a offered during the polar night, such as Polarjazz whole could make a major contribution to and Dark Season Blues, but continued efforts are strengthening the tourism industry. A potential needed to develop year-round tourism in Long- challenge exists, however, in the fact that the cul- yearbyen. Developing visitor experiences and tural and tourism communities both lack the activities in the central district could help mutual insight and understanding needed to strengthen Longyearbyen as an attractive destina- appreciate what cooperation can mean for them tion even during the polar night. both. It is therefore important to make the added- The environmental objectives and legislation value potential more visible and to encourage relating to Svalbard limit the activities that can be knowledge development and exchange, and, by pursued. Increased activity in the Svalbard tour- extension, to encourage cooperation between ism industry must take place within these limits. Svalbard’s cultural and tourism actors. Nature-based tourism, which is the core of what One of the overriding objectives of the Sval- Svalbard can offer, depends on frameworks ensur- bard policy is to maintain Norwegian communi- ing that Svalbard’s unique and unspoiled natural ties in the archipelago. A greater number of attrac- environment is preserved in future. The tourism tive experiential opportunities might entice tour- industry in Longyearbyen is working towards hav- ists to stay longer than they do today. Prolonged ing Longyearbyen awarded a quality label for sus- stays would result in increased revenue per visi- tainable destinations where the environment and tor, which is positive for the business community the welfare of local communities are protected. To in Longyearbyen. Moreover, the relationship achieve this, the tourism industry must develop in between revenue and the environmental impact of a way that preserves natural and cultural heritage tourist transport to and from the archipelago sites, ensures considerate and safe travel across would improve. the natural landscape and attends to local commu- There has been significant growth in new tour- nity needs, all while strengthening the foundation ist offerings based on the use of sled dogs, and for profitable enterprises. In connection with a the opportunity exists for further development 2014 revision of the regulations on tourism, the and growth in these products. Activities on the Governor emphasised that there are very few con- snow cover generally have less environmental flicts on record between modern organised tour- impact than activities on dry land. It is therefore ism and Svalbard’s natural and cultural assets. desirable to encourage greater use of the large This is partly attributable to the industry’s inter- snowmobile-free area, for both dogsled and ski nal discipline, which, along with the Svalbard trips. Increased activity and job creation in the Guide Training Course, leads operators to empha- tourism industry require that good air travel ser- sise cautious and considerate traffic. It can never- vices be maintained. At the same time, increased theless be hard to reach individual travellers with tourism will help improve the basis for maintain- sufficient information about regulations and ing and further developing communications and essential safety measures. other important societal functions in Longyear- Developing new tourism products and getting byen. them established takes a long time in many cases. The tourism industry is to some extent sea- Over and above promotion and marketing, it is sonal. This means that labour demand is reduced crucial that tourists enjoy their visit to Svalbard during the polar night and that it can be a chal- and the activities they engage in while there. lenge to create year-round jobs in Longyearbyen Good communications, infrastructure and facili- that contribute to the maintenance of a viable local ties are key to the experience. Predictability and community. Statistics in recent years indicate a stable framework conditions, moreover, are essen- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 89 Svalbard tial for the tourism industry’s ability to offer tour- ists positive experiences. A clear framework for Box 9.2 Visit Svalbard land use, local resource management and facilita- tion of activities is crucial to the development of Visit Svalbard AS is a travel destination com- good tourism products and sustainable tourism in pany for Svalbard. The company is wholly Svalbard. owned by the Svalbard Tourism Council, The tourism industry in Svalbard will be con- which is a member-based organisation for the centrated largely in the inhabied locations and in tourism industry in Svalbard. In 2016 Visit Management Area 10. To facilitate further devel- Svalbard AS was allocated a subsidy of NOK opment of the tourism industry it is essential to 2.2 million from the Ministry of Trade, Indus- provide tourism operators with sound, predictable try and Fisheries in order to promote value framework conditions within the constraints creation and improve profitability for an envi- established by existing regulations. Not least, it is ronmentally appropriate form of tourism by important to find satisfactory solutions for the marketing and disseminating information on tourism industry when ice conditions or wildlife Svalbard as a destination. considerations make traffic adjustments neces- The company’s tasks include: sary. An example of this is the proposal that the – Marketing and sales promotion of Svalbard environmental management authorities have cir- as a travel destination nationally and inter- culated for public consultation to expand the area nationally where visitors may drive snowmobiles when par- – Provision and promotion of tourism ser- ticipating in organised tours or when accompa- vices on behalf of the tourism industry in nied by permanent residents. The proposal Svalbard addresses both the tourism industry’s need to be – Development of a uniform profile for Sval- able to operate tours to Pyramiden and the need bard as a destinationCoordination of all to avoid disturbing polar bears and seals at a vul- product information about Svalbard as a nerable time of year. destination Tourism is one of the activities that can help – Operation of the tourist information office Longyearbyen be a viable local community of high in Longyearbyen quality in future. The aim is to develop Longyear- – Serving as the secretariat for the collective byen as an arena for both visitors and permanent tourism industry in Longyearbyen residents with a diverse range of activities and experiences that are better arranged for guests than is the case today. Increased activity and new jobs in the tourism industry will help to create a as phosphorus, gold, zinc, lead, copper, gypsum better foundation for maintaining communications and marble. These efforts have not resulted in any and important social functions for the local com- profitable operations. No commercially viable munity. At the same time, good communications deposits of minerals other than coal have been to and from the archipelago are a precondition for proven. further development of tourism in Svalbard. Today there are coal operations in Longyear- The Government will: byen and Barentsburg. Store Norske Spitsbergen – Ensure sound, predictable framework condi- Grubekompani (SNSG), a subsidiary of Store tions that provide a basis for growth in the tour- Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS (SNSK), is ism industry, by facilitating the development of the company that runs the coal operation in Long- tourism products. yearbyen, while the coal operation in Barentsburg – Facilitate the development of tourism products is run by Trust Arktikugol. Previously, there was in Management Area 10. also activity in Ny-Ålesund and Pyramiden, but the – Further develop Visit Svalbard as a developer mines there closed down in 1962 and 1998 respec- of tourism in Svalbard, and Visit Svalbard’s tively. SNSG’s coal operation in the Svea Nord coordinating role for the tourism industry. mine has been in regular operation since 2002. When production in the final panel at Svea Nord is completed in the spring of 2016, SNSG will carry 9.4.2 Mineral activity out preparatory activities and measures needed to Coal has been extracted in Svalbard since the suspend mining operations in the Svea area for up early 1900s. Apart from coal, there have been sur- to three years, from 2017. veys and trial operations for other minerals such 90 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Table 9.1 Mining Code for Svalbard The right to search for, acquire and exploit natural Claim holder No. of claims deposits is regulated by the Mining Code for Sval- Store Norske Spitsbergen bard, as stipulated in the Royal Decree of 7 August Kulkompani AS 324 1925. Only persons from, or companies domiciled in, states which are parties to the Svalbard Treaty Trust Arktikugol 33 have the right to obtain mining rights in Svalbard. Reistad Consult AS 1 The Mining Code is based on the principle of first finder’s right. Whoever first discovers a mineral Svalbard Oil Co. AS 3 deposit has first right to the find and to demand a Austre Adventfjord AS 10 land claim (mining rights). The owner of land where a claim has been 371 awarded has a right to participate in the operation at a level of up to 25 per cent. The Mining Code sets minimum requirements The group consists of the parent company, for the effort that must be expended to retain a Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani AS claim. The obligation to work a claim is not abso- (SNSK), and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Store lute. On specified terms set forth in the Mining Norske Spitsbergen Grubekompani AS (SNSG) Code, dispensation may be granted from the work and Store Norske Boliger (SNB). SNSK also owns obligation. Upon application by the claim holder 65 per cent of the shares in the subsidiary Pole and recommendation by the Directorate of Min- Position Logistics AS. The SNSK group is also the ing, a dispensation from the work obligation is largest holder of mining claims in Svalbard, with granted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 324. The group currently has about 170 employ- Fisheries for five years, which constitutes a work- ees, but due to financial difficulties the company obligation period. has decided to downsize to just under 100 employ- If a claim holder has not fulfilled the work obli- ees. gation and also has not applied for and been SNSG now has operations in two mines: Mine granted dispensation, the claim lapses at the end 7, near Longyearbyen, and Svea Nord, which is of the following calendar year. Others may then located 60 km south of Longyearbyen. Coal pro- apply for new claims in the freed-up area. duction in Mine 7 has remained relatively stable in Possession of a claim does not confer the right recent years. In 2014, 61,462 tonnes of saleable to encroach on Svalbard’s natural environment. coal were produced, as against 64,687 tonnes in The establishment of mining operations in Sval- 2013. About 35 per cent of the coal from Mine 7 is bard requires permission under the Svalbard sold to the local power plant, which the Longyear- Environmental Protection Act. This legislation is byen Community Council operates in Longyear- described in greater detail in Chapter 7, ‘Environ- byen. The rest is exported abroad. By the com- mental protection’. pany’s assessment, Mine 7 had 1.9 million tonnes At the end of 2015 there were a total of 371 of total coal reserves at the end of 2014 and an registered claims in Svalbard, and the SNSK expected operational life, assuming two shifts, of group possessed 324 of them. about 10 years. An additional 2.0 million tonnes of resources are indicated. The indicated resources are expected to have higher sulphur content and 9.4.3 Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani hence lower quality than today’s coal reserves. Assuming it is deemed commercially profitable to About Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani extract the indicated resources, there could be Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani was production taking place in Mine 7 even after 2025. founded in 1916, and its principal activity is coal Lunckefjellgruva, located northeast of Svea Nord, mining in Svalbard. In 1973 the state acquired one- was to have been in production according to its third of the shares in the company, and from 1976 business plan, but this has been discontinued. the state owned 99.94 per cent (see Proposition No. In Svea, the coal operation was mainly related 125 (1975–1976) to the Storting). Today the state to Svea Nord. The mine has been in regular opera- owns 100 per cent of the shares, after the remain- tion since 2002. Operation in the core area of Svea ing shares were redeemed in June 2015 (see Propo- Nord is coming to an end, and production is now sition 118 S (2014–2015) to the Storting). taking place at the outer edge of the resources, 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 91 Svalbard which means production conditions are more With coal prices continuing to decline through demanding. When production in the final panel is the autumn of 2015, the situation for SNSK completed in the spring of 2016, SNSG will carry became even more difficult. In September 2015 out preparatory activities and measures needed to the SNSK board contacted the Ministry of Trade, suspend mining operations in the Svea area for up Industry and Fisheries about the deteriorating sit- to three years, from 2017. uation and the options for continued operation. Lunckefjellgruva opened in February 2014. The company saw no economic basis for further The mine has access from Svea Nord, and SNSG’s operation at Lunckefjell, and production was dis- coal operation was to have continued at Lunck- continued in the autumn of 2015. The board rec- efjell after Svea Nord. As a result of the difficult ommended to the owner that the operation of market outlook, however, SNSG has ceased pro- Mine 7 continue in two shifts, and that a suspen- duction at Lunckefjell. There are about 8 million sion of operations for up to three years be facili- tonnes of coal reserves at Lunckefjell, and the tated at Svea and Lunckefjell. quality of the coal there is such that it could be There are several considerations behind state sold for metallurgical application (PCI coal), ownership of SNSK. After a comprehensive achieving a higher price than coal for electricity assessment – with strict attention paid to issues of production. Lunckefjell is still regarded as a natu- maintenance, further development, and commu- ral project to pursue if coal prices develop posi- nity restructuring in Longyearbyen of a kind that tively. supports the overriding objectives of the Svalbard policy – the Government proposed (in Proposition 52 S (2015–2016) to the Storting; see Recommen- Challenging market conditions dation No. 214 S (2015–2016)) that the state as In the 2004–2013 period the SNSK group had an owner contribute capital to facilitate a suspension accumulated profit of about NOK 1.5 billion, and it of operations at Svea and Lunckefjell for up to paid out nearly NOK 500 million in dividends. Rel- three years and that the operation of Mine 7 near atively favourable coal prices and the positive Longyearbyen be continued and expanded to two impact of financial hedging contracts contributed shifts, in line with the board’s recommendation. to the results in this period. In recent years, as a The ministry’s proposal entails an allocation of result of a significant drop in coal prices combined NOK 112 million to SNSK in the central govern- with large unrealised losses on currency hedging ment budget for 2016. contracts and poor market prospects for coal, The Government acknowledges that there is SNSG has found itself in a very challenging eco- considerable uncertainty associated with business nomic situation. developments at SNSG and the SNSK group, The SNSK board and the ownership ministry, including a low probability that it will be rational the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, from a business point of view to resume produc- have been in close dialogue about the company’s tion at Svea and Lunckefjell in the current three- situation. In May 2015 the Government put for- year period. The liquidity made available to SNSG ward a proposition to the Storting (Proposition must therefore be regarded as risk capital with a 118 S (2014–2015)) whose main elements were high risk of being lost. The ministry also pro- that the state would strengthen SNSG’s liquidity posed converting the subordinated loan of NOK by NOK 500 million. Of this amount, NOK 295 205 million plus interest to equity in SNSK. The million went to the purchase of real property and proposition also makes it evident that there is con- infrastructure then owned by the SNSK group, siderable uncertainty as to further development in and NOK 205 million was provided as a subordi- the SNSK Group and that the Government will nated loan to SNSK from the state. The funds evaluate this in more detail. were to be made available for operations in SNSG. Although the Svalbard community has devel- The Storting approved the Government’s pro- oped several legs to stand on and can absorb the posal on 11 June 2015 (see Recommendation No. ongoing reduction in the number of SNSK group 343 S (2014–2015)). The funds SNSK was pro- employees, a potential winding down of coal min- vided by the state were intended to help finance a ing operations at Svea and Lunckefjell would have minimum level of operations by SNSG in 2015 and consequences for the community. The SNSK 2016. It was also evident that coal operations at group still holds great significance for the Sval- SNSG were at high risk of having to be wound bard community. The financial cost of a suspen- down after year-end 2016 if market conditions did sion in operations must be weighed against the not improve. benefits of continued Norwegian activity related 92 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard to the Svea area coal mines after the period of min- trict heating/heating and continuing and periodic imal operations runs out 2016. Overall, the Gov- maintenance. ernment sees good reasons for choosing sus- The downsizing of SNSG in 2013 freed up sev- pended operations rather than a winding down, eral housing units, leading to a marked increase in especially given the consideration of providing the external rentals. This development continued in Svalbard community more time for restructuring 2014 and into 2015. As of February 2016, SNB was and the objective of maintaining Norwegian com- renting out about 35 per cent of its housing stock munities in the archipelago. externally. This includes rentals to partners. If prices had provided a sufficient financial SNSK wants to help develop the market for both basis, coal deposits proven in the Svea area could residential and commercial property in step with have supported operations through 2023. Market local needs. The company’s housing and property conditions for coal mining have shown a negative management activity will depend on the activity trend in the past year, and the outlook appears level in other areas of business and community challenging. For the coal resources in Svalbard to life in Longyearbyen, and on financial resources. be produced profitably from an economic point of Currently, SNSK also rents the state’s land at view in future, market conditions have to improve Hotellneset in Longyearbyen. SNSK is also con- significantly. The special conditions in Svalbard sidering further development of Hotellneset for also make it very expensive to run coal opera- commercial use of the area in the longer term. tions. The high cost level can to some extent be When production at Svea Nord ends in the explained by factors such as location, operating spring of 2016, SNSG will carry out preparatory conditions, security requirements and general activities to suspend mining operations at Svea for wage pressure. SNSK today has claims in several up to three years, starting in 2017. During the places in Svalbard. These are deposits that can be period of suspended operations, SNSK will con- used as reserves if coal operations beyond the one tinue to rent land and infrastructure from the state at Mine 7 become likely. as well as to oversee management and mainte- The Government will consider alternative nance of Svea on behalf of the state. In this period solutions and the structural framework for the SNSK will also work for the development of new, SNSK group’s further activity, including alterna- commercially profitable activities tied to the exist- tive solutions for any continuation of activity at ing infrastructure at Svea which can be combined Svea and Lunckefjell, and it will consult with the with any future resumption of mining operations. board in this regard. This applies both to research activities under the direction of Svea Arctic Research Infrastructure (SARI), collaborative projects with UNIS, and Future activity in the company facilitation of tourism activity. The operation of Mine 7 is scheduled to continue As landowner and owner of the infrastructure and to deliver coal to Longyearbyen. This may in Svea, the state will have certain expenses in continue for several years. Beyond coal mining, managing and maintaining the properties. The the SNSK group also manages housing and prop- costs related to Svea are costs that the state will erty in Svalbard. Through the subsidiary Store have to fund regardless of the SNSK group’s fur- Norske Boliger AS (SNB), the SNSK group owns ther development. An important job ahead will about 380 housing units in Longyearbyen. The therefore be to examine how Svea can be man- company’s purpose is to own and rent out real aged further if mining operations at Svea are property. Primarily, SNB rents out homes to com- wound down. panies in the group and to partners. The largest tenant is SNSG, which rents out housing to employees. In line with the state’s objective of con- Changed purposes and categorisation tributing, through its ownership in SNSG, to the The state must attend to several purposes through maintenance of the community in Longyearbyen, its ownership of the SNSK group. On the one the company has applied to increase the number hand, the ownership is supposed to help support of family homes to make it attractive for the com- the overriding Svalbard policy objectives. For pany’s employees to settle in Longyearbyen with many years, the company’s mining operations their families. According to the company, the have contributed significantly to stable, year- price level in SNB is set on the basis of what it round Norwegian activity and presence in Sval- costs to invest in housing construction in Long- bard. SNSK has also signed agreements with the yearbyen, as well as to cover municipal fees, dis- state on operation and maintenance of parts of the 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 93 Svalbard state’s real properties in Svalbard. On the other organisation that operates three radar facilities for hand, the state’s purpose in owning SNSK has ionospheric studies. EISCAT has four stations, been for the company to operate on a commercial including one in Svalbard outside Longyearbyen. basis and with a view to delivering competitive Norway is a member along with five other coun- returns. This has proved difficult in recent years. tries. To better reflect the state’s various interests as owner of SNSK, the Government has changed the categorisation of the state’s ownership in the com- SvalSat and SvalRak pany. The Government has moved SNSK from The cornerstones of space activity in Svalbard are Category 3 (commercial objectives and other spe- the Svalbard Satellite Station (SvalSat) ground sta- cifically defined objectives) to Category 4 (sec- tion and the Svalbard Rocket Range (SvalRak). toral policy objectives). Apart from this, today’s SvalSat downlinks information from satellites in framework for corporate governance of the com- polar orbits, and SvalRak provides launch services pany is to be extended. Requirements have been for scientific balloons and rockets. SvalSat has set for efficient operations. about 30 employees and is owned by Kongsberg The Government will: Satellite Services (KSAT). The state, through – Assess the situation for continued SNSK oper- Space Norway AS, owns 50 per cent of KSAT. ations in light of developments in the price and Space Norway AS also operates the fibre optic market outlook for coal. cable to Svalbard. SvalRak is owned by Andøya – Administer ownership in SNSK so that it con- Space Center AS (ASC). ASC is a state company tributes to the Longyearbyen community in a under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisher- way that supports the overriding objectives of ies. the Svalbard policy. Svalbard Satellite Station, located on Platåber- – Assess future development and activity in Svea get at Longyearbyen, is the northernmost satellite in light of the state’s role as landowner and downlink station in the world. Through effective infrastructure owner. utilisation of SvalSat, Norway is exploiting its geo- graphical advantage. This has made Norway a major international player in the satellite downlink 9.4.4 Space activity market. SvalSat is currently the largest commer- Svalbard is Norway’s foremost advantage as a cial satellite ground station in the world and a space nation. The archipelago’s geographical loca- global leader in downlinking meteorological data tion is ideal for space activity, both for exploration from polar-orbit satellites. With its downlink ser- of the atmosphere and downlinking of satellite vices at Svalbard and at the Troll station in Dron- data. Its northern position gives Svalbard a com- ning Maud Land in Antarctica, KSAT is the only petitive advantage with regard to downlinking company in the world that can offer downlinking information from satellites in polar orbits. Sval- of information near the North Pole and the South bard is the only easily accessible place where it is Pole alike. This permits quick access to observa- possible to communicate with satellites in polar tional data from polar-orbit satellites, providing orbits during each orbit that such satellites make KSAT with a competitive advantage. around the earth. Downlinking satellite data from SvalRak is a launch station for research rock- Svalbard thus helps to make the operation of ets at Ny-Ålesund. Because Svalbard is situated polar-orbit satellites more efficient. As a result, very close to the magnetic north pole, the rocket- the services provided by the station in Longyear- launching range is particularly well suited for byen are in high demand. studies of the aurora borealis and other phenom- Svalbard plays a key role in Norwegian space ena specific to the Arctic. Along with Norwegian activity, and the space activity in Svalbard continues researchers, the users of the facility are primarily to develop strongly. Space activity is an important Japanese and American. There is also increased part of the economic base in Svalbard. Svalbard’s interest in the release of large stratospheric accessibility and northern location, along with the research balloons from Svalbard. communities associated with the University Centre Major international actors such as the US, in Svalbard (UNIS), result in an active research European and Japanese space agencies, as well as community. UNIS is involved in research into Arc- several other major actors in space activity, make tic geophysics and studies of the aurora borealis. use of the services and infrastructure at SvalSat. The European Incoherent Scatter Scientific The European Space Agency (ESA) uses the Association (EISCAT) is an international scientific installations at Platåberget near Longyearbyen for 94 Meld. 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Figure 9.2 Svalbard Satellite Station. Svalbard Airport, Longyear, is visible by the fjord. Photo: ©KSAT – Kongsberg Satellite Services both commercial and research-related activity. SvalSat operates antennas for NASA, the European Future opportunities meteorological organisation EUMETSAT and the There is reason to believe that international inter- ESA, among others. Many earth observation satel- est in the use of Svalbard’s space infrastructure lites travel in polar orbits, so from positions near will continue to grow. Satellite data downlinked in the poles it is possible to communicate with and Svalbard is used operationally in the monitoring of downlink data from these satellites at relatively sea-ice conditions, oil pollution and maritime traf- short intervals. Services based on earth observa- fic. This information is critical to preventing and tion data are of great administrative and commer- detecting accidents and environmental crime at cial significance to Norway, especially in the man- sea. agement of marine areas in the far north. SvalSat Svalbard’s geographical location provides also operates antennas for the Galileo, EGNOS and unique opportunities for space research, includ- Copernicus EU programmes, thereby helping to ing research on space weather. Space weather strengthen the programmes’ coverage and perfor- research is research into the sun’s effect on the mance in Norwegian areas of interest. earth. It is common for space weather to affect the Large investments have been made to earth, but in most cases the effect manifests itself strengthen SvalSat’s position as a leading provider in the form of remarkable natural phenomena: of space-based services. In 2004, fibre optic cables aurora borealis and aurora australis. It is the truly were introduced for transmitting data from Sval- powerful solar storms that may have conse- bard to the mainland. As a result, real-time access quences for us, because such storms can affect to data from the satellites is also available on the our systems on earth, interfering with satellite mainland. The development was funded through signals, for example, as well as other technologies an agreement with the US aerospace and meteor- and infrastructure. Vulnerability rises in step with ological agencies, NASA and NOAA; the fibre society’s adoption of increasingly sensitive tech- optic cables are owned by Space Norway AS. nology. Norway is a leader in aurora borealis 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 95 Svalbard research, and the Kjell Henriksen Observatory these areas, as they can cover large areas with rel- (KHO) outside Longyearbyen represents the core atively little infrastructure without harming the of Norwegian and international research into the environment. Space-based infrastructure pro- aurora borealis. Together with rocket and satellite vides useful and cost-effective benefits to the pop- measurements and the EISCAT and Super-DARN ulation and business community in Svalbard. radar facilities, this research infrastructure is Good examples include environmental monitoring unique to Svalbard. This research infrastructure and maritime emergency preparedness, which are puts Norway in a strong position to participate in particularly important for the High North, includ- international collaboration in this field. ing Svalbard. The need for space-based services Efforts are under way to integrate the space will continue to grow in fields related to civil pro- activity with other observational platforms, such tection, the environment and climate, among oth- as SIOS, whose contributions include improved ers. The fibre optic cable link to Svalbard is an availability of climatic, environmental and earth example of infrastructure put into place because observation data from Svalbard from satellites. of the commitment to space activity in Svalbard, In this way Norway will also be able to help and which benefits residents and scientists in explore the solar system. Norwegian researchers’ Svalbard by enabling fast and secure internet understanding of satellite data and field measure- access. ments from glaciers in Svalbard could be impor- The Government will: tant to an understanding of glaciers and any poten- – Facilitate space activity as part of the future tial biological life on Mars and other planets. economic base in Svalbard. NASA and the ESA use Svalbard regularly to test – Assess the need and possibility of a satellite- equipment employed in space missions for solar based communications system in the High system exploration. North. Substantial funds have been allocated to encourage Norwegian companies to take part in research and innovation efforts in a European 9.4.5 Electronic communications services context. It is important that Norwegian space Electronic communications were liberalised in activity actors also take part in European collabo- Norway in 1998. The electronic services legisla- ration, so as to exploit the competitive advantages tion – the Act of 4 July 2003 No. 83 relating to elec- that Svalbard’s location and attributes provide in tronic communications (the Electronic Communi- space-related research, innovation and economic cations Act) – is applicable in Svalbard, with the development. exception of the competition rules in chapters 3 The earth’s curvature and Svalbard’s location and 4 as well as section 9–3. The permit system far from other land masses limit opportunities for on the mainland is also applicable in Svalbard, coverage by conventional communication chan- with the exception of permits relating to the estab- nels, such as marine VHF radio and satellites in lishment and use of satellite ground stations, for geostationary orbit over the equator. Existing sys- which special rules are needed out of concern for tems that provide satellite communications in provisions in the Svalbard Treaty. The regulations areas north of 75° N have limited performance for establishing, operating and using satellite and capacity. This can present a challenge in oper- ground stations in Svalbard are being revised to ations such as search and rescue. The Govern- make them up-to-date and forward-looking. The ment will look into the possibility of a solution for aim is to reorganise and strengthen the supervi- a satellite-based communications system in the sory activities. High North. Access to frequency resources in Svalbard is Space activity creates high-technology jobs in now administered so that special licences are the northernmost counties and in Svalbard. Con- awarded for Svalbard regardless of corresponding tinued growth in space-based activity in Svalbard frequency licences for the Norwegian mainland. will lead to increased interest from domestic and In Svalbard, growing interest is focused mainly on international communities alike. Space infrastruc- research activity involving the use of radio fre- ture and space activity in general have great quencies and the need for allocation of frequency potential to contribute to future sustainable activ- licences. ity and value creation in Svalbard. Under the electronic communications legisla- The space activity exploits Svalbard’s geo- tion, the opportunity exists for a number of com- graphical advantages, and navigation and earth mercial actors to take part, but Telenor ASA observation satellites are particularly useful in remains the most important provider of electronic 96 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard communications networks and services to Sval- bard. 9.4.6 Maritime activity The fibre optic cable to Svalbard provides the Norway has a long tradition of shipping in the Arc- business community, the public sector, the tic and the High North, and the Norwegian mari- research and education community and the gen- time industry has extensive expertise in the spe- eral population with electronic communications at cial conditions and challenges of Arctic waters. least as good as those on the mainland, due to the The maritime traffic around Svalbard consists virtually unlimited capacity of these fibre optic mainly of cruise and cargo traffic, research- cables. It is natural to envisage the creation of related shipping and fishing. additional initiatives for utilising the capacity of The number of overseas cruise ships coming the fibre optic cables to the mainland in future. to Svalbard has varied between 21 and 34 per year The Svalbard cable’s service interruption in since 1997, but the number of passengers has June 2014 showed how dependent all communica- almost trebled in the same period. Since the peak tions to and from Svalbard are on this transport year, 2012, there has been a slight decline in arriv- channel. The interruption led the owner to con- als to Svalbard by the large cruise vessels. The duct a value assessment and a risk and vulnerabil- decline may be related to several factors: eco- ity analysis of the connection, including the cable nomic conditions, the introduction of a ban on landing point and the linkage of data streams into heavy fuel oil in the protected areas, the introduc- the commercial electronic communications net- tion of compulsory pilotage, and limited port works. The relevant actors are now following up capacity in Longyearbyen. on these efforts. The large overseas cruise vessels visit only Because of Longyearbyen’s limited geo- the west coast of Svalbard. The ban on heavy fuel graphic area, it has been used as a testing ground oil is discussed further in section 7.3.4. In addi- for new technology. As a result, residents have tion to the overseas cruise vessels, much of had access to advanced services before most today’s cruise tourism takes place using small other Norwegians. Apart from providing modern and medium-sized vessels. These vessels do not services to the business community and public use heavy fuel oil, and can travel throughout Sval- administration, Telenor Svalbard today offers bard, including the large nature reserves in the modern ‘triple play’ solutions (telephony, IPTV east. and broadband access) to the populations of Long- Spills of heavy fuel oil in the event of ship acci- yearbyen and Ny-Ålesund. There is full fibre optic dents could have serious negative consequences coverage, and the typical broadband line to a for the environment in the vulnerable and valuable household has a transfer rate of at least 50 Mbit/s. areas around Svalbard. A ban on heavy fuel oil A fibre optic connection between Ny-Ålesund was therefore introduced in the nature reserves and Longyearbyen was recently established. The on the east side of Svalbard in 2007 and in the connection is redundant, with two separate cables. national parks on the west side in 2009, with a few The connection was put into operation in May 2015 time-limited exceptions (see over). The ban on and is the world’s northernmost high-speed con- heavy fuel oil is not applicable in Isfjorden, among nection. The radio link that previously served as the other places, and imposes no restrictions on communications connection is being terminated. cruise traffic there. The technology is now present to allow the activity in Ny-Ålesund to link up to the rest of the world with high-speed connectivity via the new cable and Future opportunities the fibre optic connection between Longyearbyen The northern marine areas are undergoing and the Norwegian mainland. Between Longyear- change, and the melting ice could provide oppor- byen and Svea, the connection is via radio link. tunities for expanded economic activity and Both NetCom and Telenor offer mobile tele- wealth creation in Svalbard. The growth potential phone services and mobile broadband (3G and for the maritime industry will be affected by 4G) in Longyearbyen, Svea and Barentsburg. growth in other industries and by any new activity Both providers also cover large parts of Advent- that is begun in or around Svalbard and that dalen, Van Mijenfjorden and Isfjordbassenget. depends on maritime transport. This also pre- The Government will: sents new environmental and security challenges. – Revise the regulations governing the establish- A well-functioning infrastructure is a premise for ment and operation of satellite ground stations increased value creation, improved security and in Svalbard. reduced environmental risk. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 97 Svalbard

The High North, including Svalbard, is not suf- was primarily to achieve control of fishing in the ficiently prepared to accommodate a potential area in order to preserve the resources and avoid activity increase in a safe, environmentally unregulated fishing. friendly and efficient manner. Norway is never- Today, fishing for cod, haddock, capelin, red- theless the Arctic coastal state that must be fish, Greenland halibut, shrimp, Norwegian regarded as having the most developed infrastruc- spring-spawning herring and snow crab is regu- ture in the area, not least as regards ocean surveil- lated in this area. Different regulations have been lance. This gives Norway, with its geographical issued for the various fisheries, including quota position and existing and planned infrastructure, regulation and effort regulation. The regulations an advantage with regard to international collabo- are issued pursuant to the Act relating to manage- ration and potential localisation of international ment of wild living marine resources (Marine operations. Resources Act). In addition, regulations on fishing The capacity of the port facility in Longyear- in the territorial sea of Svalbard are issued pursu- byen is limited at present. New port infrastructure ant to the Svalbard Act, while regulations on fish- will be an important measure for further develop- ing in the Fisheries Protection Zone around Sval- ment in fields such as research, tourism, logistics bard are issued pursuant to the Act relating to the and maritime services. In the National Transport economic zone of Norway. Uniform rules have Plan 2014–2023, up to NOK 200 million has been been issued for fishing in the territorial sea set aside for new port infrastructure in Longyear- around Svalbard and in the Fisheries Protection byen. A more detailed account of the Norwegian Zone around Svalbard. This includes reporting Coastal Administration’s work studying different rules, rules for keeping a catch logbook, provi- port infrastructure solutions for Longyearbyen is sions on mesh size in fishing gear, the use of sort- presented in Chapter 6. ing grids and minimum sizes for fish, etc. Inside The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries the three original national parks and the nature has issued rules expanding the trade area for NIS- reserves from 1973, the seabed is protected. registered cargo ships and passenger ships so Excluded from the protection is shrimp fishing at that they receive operational access to Svalbard depths exceeding 100 metres. from 1 January 2016. This contributes to a The Coast Guard and the Directorate of Fish- strengthening of the Norwegian-registered fleet eries are jointly responsible for the practical and promotes the Norwegian maritime business aspects of exercising resource control in areas community in Svalbard. under Norwegian fisheries jurisdiction. A signifi- The Government will: cant part of the Coast Guard’s resources are used – Decide on further work to develop port infra- in the northern marine areas. The Coast Guard is structure in Longyearbyen. part of the Armed Forces, and provisions relating to the Coast Guard’s tasks and administrative duties are found in the Coast Guard Act and the 9.4.7 Fisheries activity Coast Guard Instructions. The Coast Guard’s exercise of control and enforcement measures in Regulation of fisheries resources the territorial sea of Svalbard shall be in accord- Fishing takes place in the territorial sea around ance with directives issued by the Governor of Svalbard and in the Fisheries Protection Zone out- Svalbard. side. The fishing in the territorial sea is far less It is essential to manage living marine extensive than in the Fisheries Protection Zone resources in such a way that they can continue to around Svalbard. Several of the stocks outside be harvested in future. Control over fishing in the Svalbard migrate between Norwegian, foreign territorial sea and Fisheries Protection Zone and international waters. For migrating stocks it is around Svalbard must therefore be as good as in important to ensure protection and management other areas under Norwegian jurisdiction. Inter- throughout their area of distribution. Pursuant to national obligations with respect to resource man- the Act of 17 December 1976 No. 91 relating to the agement and resource control must also be car- economic zone of Norway, a Fisheries Protection ried out there. It is in the interest of all fishing Zone of 200 nautical miles was established around nations that genuine control is exercised over the Svalbard by the Royal Decree of 3 June 1977. outtake of fish from these areas, and that illegal Thus, the reason for establishing a non-discrimi- fishing is avoided. natory Fisheries Protection Zone around Svalbard 98 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

tions on landing and sales notes that impose obli- Landing of catch gations upon landing of catches, as well as for Svalbard has no tradition of commercial landing or requirements applicable to those who operate fish processing of fish and seafood, and the seafood sold processing plants. The regulations to date have and consumed there has come in large part from not been made applicable in Svalbard. If a fish pro- the mainland. Recently, interest has grown in estab- cessing plant is established in Svalbard, these reg- lishing fish processing plants and developing vari- ulations may be defined more precisely by issuing ous tourism concepts related to local food that regulations for this purpose. The Directorate of would involve commercial landing of fish and sea- Fisheries is the competent supervisory authority food in Svalbard. The Government will facilitate under the act. Regulations outside the fisheries such seafood industry related to local food and tour- regulations may also have a bearing on the estab- ism. For the time being, however, the likelihood of lishment of fish processing plants. demand to land catches in Svalbard is uncertain. The third main act of relevance to the topic, The likelihood will depend on the fish species and the Fishermen’s Sales Organisation Act, requires the nature of the fishing fleet in the area. first-hand sales through fish sales organisations Landing and sale of seafood on the mainland by all who land fish in Mainland-Norway and by are subject to detailed regulation through acts and Norwegian fishermen wherever they land their regulations, including the Marine Resources Act, raw catch. It is forbidden to sell, export or process the Act relating to first-hand sales of wild marine fish except through or with the approval of a com- resources (the Fishermen’s Sales Organisation petent sales organisation. As of today, the act is Act) and the Act relating to food production and applicable in the marine areas around Svalbard, food safety (the Food Act). The land territory in but not on the land territory. No requirements are Svalbard has previously been exempt from these therefore imposed under the Fishermen’s Sales regulations. Legislation outside fisheries legisla- Organisation Act with regard to the establishment tion, including environmental legislation, may also of fish processing plants in Svalbard today. have a bearing on the establishment of fish pro- Whether it will be necessary to extend the applica- cessing plants. bility of parts of the act to the land territory of To ensure that considerations of resource con- Svalbard will be assessed on an ongoing basis as trol and food safety are addressed in Svalbard as warranted by developments involving new activity. elsewhere, processes have been initiated to imple- Reference is made to the Storting’s resolution ment the necessary regulations. The application from its consideration of a white paper on seafood of such a framework would be an important con- industry competitiveness (Meld. St. 10 (2015– tribution to facilitating the regulation of sales of 2016), see Recommendation No. 215 S (2015– locally caught fish for commercial use in Long- 2016)), the recommendation’s resolution I, which yearbyen. reads as follows: ‘The Storting requests the Gov- The Food Act’s scope of application was ernment to make proposals in the upcoming Sval- extended to Svalbard and Jan Mayen in October bard white paper regarding how increased fishing 2015. None of the Food Act’s regulations were and other harvesting of marine resources can made applicable at the same time. Interministerial have positive ripple effects for Svalbard.’ The consideration is currently being given to decide white paper was processed by the Storting on 5 which of these regulations, including those April of this year, so it has not been possible in the related to fishing, should be made applicable. The time since then to prepare such proposals. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority holds supervi- Government will return to the Storting on this sory authority under the Svalbard Act. matter. The Marine Resources Act’s scope of applica- The Government will: tion was extended in January 2016 to include the – Facilitate conditions for the seafood industry in land territory of Svalbard. The Directorate of connection with local food and tourism. Fisheries is the competent supervisory authority under the act. Previously, the act was applicable in all Norwegian maritime zones, on Norwegian 9.4.8 Air transport activity land territory with the exceptions of Svalbard and Svalbard Airport, Longyear, is owned and oper- Jan Mayen, on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, ated by Avinor and was officially opened in 1975. and on all Norwegian fishing vessels wherever In 2007, the airport was expanded with a new ter- they happen to be. The act provides for, inter alia, minal. As a result of the highly seasonal influx of regulations on purchase registration and regula- tourists, Svalbard Airport’s traffic patterns vary. It 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 99 Svalbard

Table 9.2 Aircraft movements and passengers at All flights to and from Svalbard, according to Svalbard Airport, Longyear. the regulations on aviation in Svalbard, must go via Svalbard Airport, Longyear, so this airport Year Aircraft movements Passengers receives all direct flights to the archipelago. Both SAS and Norwegian operate scheduled services 2006 6521 128067 to Svalbard from the mainland. In addition, West 2007 7064 129317 Air flies regular cargo flights on contract with Norway Post. Beyond this, in recent years there 2008 8911 138934 has been a slight increase in charter flights for 2009 6609 129336 tourists to Svalbard. The use of unmanned aircraft has increased 2010 6490 125781 rapidly and sharply, and such craft are thought to 2011 6350 126350 be of potential use in Svalbard, for research pur- poses in particular. Norway takes part in interna- 2012 6626 133481 tional cooperation on unmanned aircraft use for 2013 6943 151651 scientific purposes through the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) in connection 2014 6745 161223 with the Arctic Council. The Civil Aviation Author- 2015 6453 166477 ity of Norway has issued regulations specifically on the use of unmanned aircraft. The regulations Source: Avinor came into force on 1 January 2016, and are appli- cable in Svalbard. The European Commission is is nevertheless organised and operated in the working to develop common European rules in same manner as Avinor’s airports on the main- this area. land. It has also been upgraded in recent years, including with the creation of expanded security areas both alongside and at the ends of the run- Regulation of air traffic way, in accordance with regulatory requirements. All air traffic in Svalbard is subject to the provi- The new terminal building that opened in 2007 is sions of the Aviation Act and the Regulations of 23 also dimensioned with a view to expected growth November 1973 concerning aviation in Svalbard. in air traffic. Large parts of Norway’s aviation legislation The general increase in activity in Svalbard is implement into Norwegian law EU legislative acts also evident in the increase in the number of pas- that have been incorporated into the EEA Agree- sengers at the airport. The trend in air traffic is ment. Since Svalbard is not covered by the EEA presented in Table 9.2. Avinor expects stable and Agreement, the question of whether EU aviation moderate growth ahead. In recent years there has provisions should be made applicable in the archi- been a steady increase in the number of passen- pelago is subject to special consideration. Regula- gers, particularly since Norwegian began regular tions implementing EU legislative acts are applied flights in 2013. According to Avinor, the number to Svalbard where relevant. This ensures that reg- of passengers is rising because aircraft passenger ulations exist for all forms of aviation in Svalbard. counts are higher, and because the types of air- There is no scheduled air service to Svalbard craft deployed on some flights have more capacity from abroad. As mentioned, the archipelago is not than before. covered by the EEA Agreement, and according to There are also airports in Ny-Ålesund and the regulations on aviation in Svalbard, everyone Svea, and a heliport at Kapp Heer, Barentsburg. conducting flights to Svalbard must have permis- The airport at Ny-Ålesund, Hamnerabben, is sion from the Civil Aviation Authority. It follows owned and operated by Kings Bay AS. Flights are from these regulations that permission may be operated between Ny-Ålesund and Longyearbyen granted on set conditions, including time period, once or twice weekly in winter and two or three aircraft type to be employed, and limitations on times weekly in summer. The flights carry scien- use. Applications for the establishment of routes tists and employees to and from Ny-Ålesund. Svea to Svalbard from abroad are given thorough and Airport is situated at the inner reach of Van Mijen- consistent consideration, and the Norwegian fjorden. The airport is owned by the Ministry of authorities so far not have not given consent for Trade, Industry and Fisheries and operated by such routes. Store Norske Spitsbergen Grubekompani AS. 100 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

been drilling for petroleum on land in Svalbard, Helicopter traffic but without any commercially recoverable discov- Helicopter traffic represents a significant part of eries. Permission has not been granted for explor- the air traffic in Svalbard. Lufttransport AS pro- atory drilling in the territorial sea surround Sval- vides helicopter services for the Governor of Sval- bard. Nor has permission been granted to drill on bard in accordance with the agreement of 1 April land since the Svalbard Environmental Protection 2014. The service is carried out using two Super Act came into force in 2002. In the vicinity of the Puma helicopters. The helicopters may also be island of Hopen and along the west coast of Spits- hired by others when the Governor’s needs pose bergen, certain claims have been granted on the no hindrance. During the summer months, Luft- basis of indications of petroleum deposits. A claim transport AS also operates other helicopters for is a preferential right to exploit the natural clients in Svalbard. resources within a specifically defined area, but Commercial aviation is not covered by the provides no right to begin activity unless permis- equal-treatment obligation under the Svalbard sion is granted in accordance with the Svalbard Treaty. This is reflected in Norwegian legislation Environmental Protection Act and other regula- as well as in long-term, consistent practice. Under tions that apply to Svalbard. The Government the Aviation Act, only aircraft with Norwegian expects that current policies will be continued nationality can engage in air transport in Norwe- with regard to petroleum activity in the territorial gian territory. The Civil Aviation Authority may sea of Svalbard. grant dispensation from the nationality require- ment, however, if there are special reasons for doing so. For years, Russian helicopter operators 9.5 Summary have been granted dispensation to conduct heli- copter flights in association with the mining opera- The Government will: tion in Barentsburg. For other missions, permis- – Facilitate the development of existing and new sion must be applied for in each individual case. businesses within the overriding objectives of The outcome of such applications is determined the Svalbard policy. by the aviation authorities on the basis of a spe- – Strengthen economic development efforts cific assessment. under the auspices of the Longyearbyen Com- munity Council and relevant national policy instruments in cooperation with existing busi- Passenger lists for flights to and from Svalbard ness interests in Longyearbyen, using funds Passenger lists for all flights to and from Svalbard provided in the estimated accounts for the 2015 shall be delivered to the Governor of Svalbard. central government budget. This follows from the regulations on aviation in – Facilitate conditions for the development of a Svalbard. The provision was incorporated into the more diversified business community. Prefera- regulations in 1996, but was not followed up for all bly, the new jobs should be stable, year-round flights. On 3 July 2015, therefore, the Civil Avia- and commercially profitable. tion Authority issued an announcement (Aeronau- – Facilitate development of a new, forward-looking tical Information Circular – AIC) amending the business and innovation strategy for Svalbard. administrative practice and ensuring that the pro- – Continuously assess the need for restructuring visions of the regulations are complied with, so and economic development measures that sup- that the passenger lists are routinely submitted to port the Svalbard policy objectives. the Governor. The passenger lists are to be sent to – Ensure sound, predictable framework condi- the Civil Aviation Authority together with applica- tions that provide a basis for growth in the tour- tions for permission to fly to and from Svalbard, ism industry, by facilitating the development of and the authority forwards the passenger lists to tourism products. the Governor. The amendment entered into force – Facilitate the development of tourism products on 4 July 2015 for charter flights and on 25 Octo- in Management Area 10. ber 2015 for scheduled air services. – Further develop Visit Svalbard as a developer of tourism in Svalbard, and Visit Svalbard’s coordinating role in the tourism industry. 9.4.9 Petroleum activity – Assess the situation for continued SNSK oper- The marine areas surrounding Svalbard have not ations in light of developments in the price and been opened for petroleum activity. There has market outlook for coal. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 101 Svalbard

– Administer ownership in SNSK so that it con- – Revise the regulations governing the establish- tributes to the Longyearbyen community in a ment and operation of satellite ground stations way that supports the overriding objectives of in Svalbard. the Svalbard policy. – Decide on further work to develop port infra- – Assess future development and activity in Svea structure in Longyearbyen once the Norwe- in light of the state’s role as landowner and gian Coastal Administration’s conceptual study infrastructure owner. is completed. – Facilitate space activity as part of the future – Facilitate conditions for the seafood industry in economic base in Svalbard. connection with local food and tourism. – Assess the need and possibility of a satellite- based communications system in the High North. 102 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

10 Civil protection, rescue and emergency preparedness

10.1 Introduction Long distances and a demanding climate pose additional challenges. Local emergency prepared- Society faces a variety of challenges in the area of ness, moreover, is not of a scale to deal with major civil protection and emergency preparedness. or simultaneous incidents. Preventive measures Preventing and reducing vulnerability, so that are therefore critical. It is also extremely impor- society can better handle incidents and crises and tant that the various agencies cooperate and coor- quickly restore societal functions if an undesira- dinate, and that they plan and prepare for ble incident occurs, is a priority. The Government resources to be provided from the mainland in the will continue to intensify its efforts to strengthen event of major incidents. civil protection and emergency preparedness; see Should incidents nonetheless occur, it is the budget proposal for 2016 for the Ministry of important to be well drilled and prepared to man- Justice and Public Security (Prop. 1 S (2015– age them. Historically, there have been a number 2016)). of challenging operations and missions in Sval- This chapter describes the organisation, roles bard. The avalanche in Longyearbyen in Decem- and responsibilities of civil protection and emer- ber 2015 showed how a whole community was gency preparedness work in Svalbard. It also pre- mobilised and a major, vital effort was undertaken sents a discussion of available resources and spe- to save lives and care for those affected. This cific challenges that require attention. undesirable incident also illustrated the need for As in the rest of Norway, the job of civil protec- assistance from the mainland. tion and emergency preparedness in Svalbard has been intensified, including both the prevention and response aspects. Svalbard’s geographic loca- 10.2 Key actors tion poses particular challenges in respect of civil protection and emergency preparedness for 10.2.1 Governor of Svalbard which planning is needed. The Governor of Svalbard is the Norwegian Gov- Prevention has been particularly important, ernment’s highest-ranking representative in the and each sector is responsible for identifying the archipelago, and acts in the capacities of both assets that need attention, the risks that key chief of police and county governor, and is the assets face, and how vulnerable they are. Based principal authority with regard to both planning on such analyses, individual enterprises must and crisis management in the area of civil protec- implement preventive measures. tion and emergency preparedness. The Governor Previous white papers on Svalbard have plays a vital role both in preventing undesirable focused attention on security and emergency pre- incidents and in managing them when they occur. paredness challenges posed by increasing mari- The Governor emphasises cooperation with the time traffic in the waters surrounding Svalbard local emergency preparedness actors and supe- and in the High North generally. One objective rior authorities. The objective is a state of readi- has been to reduce the risk of undesirable inci- ness that ensures the safety and security of the dents involving maritime transport in Svalbard in population of Svalbard. order to protect human life, health and the envi- By virtue of being county governor, the Gover- ronment, and over the years several measures nor of Svalbard is responsible for civil protection have been implemented to ensure that the quality in the archipelago; see the Royal Decree of 19 of security and rescue services at sea, on land and June 2015 Instructions for the county governors’ in the air is proportionate to the activity level. and Governor of Svalbard’s work relating to civil However, other areas also demand attention in protection, emergency preparedness and crisis terms of mapping and assessing risk and vulnera- management. These instructions set guidelines bility. for the duties of the Governor of Svalbard relating 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 103 Svalbard to civil protection and emergency preparedness ernor of Svalbard, the rescue management team and for coordinating crisis management in the consists of representatives from the Longyear- event of undesirable incidents. byen Community Council, Longyearbyen Fire and In line with the instructions, a dedicated emer- Rescue Service, Telenor Svalbard, Longyearbyen gency preparedness council has been appointed Hospital, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani in Svalbard and is chaired by the Governor of AS, Avinor/Svalbard Airport, the Governor of Svalbard, as is also the case with county gover- Svalbard’s helicopter operator SAR, Lufttransport nors on the mainland. The council consists of rep- and the Longyearbyen Red Cross Search and Res- resentatives from large research institutions and cue Corps. External advisers may be called on companies in Svalbard, the Longyearbyen Red when necessary. Cross, Svalbard Church, and Longyearbyen Hos- The rescue plan of the Governor of Svalbard is pital. The council discusses relevant civil protec- based on the model plan for rescue services in tion and emergency preparedness issues and Norway and is regularly updated in line with new serves as an arena for oversight and exchange of experience and societal changes. The plan covers information. The council contributes to a joint risk incidents and accidents at sea, on land and in the and vulnerability assessment and a common plat- air. The Governor has also established a set of form for planning civil protection and emergency plans for dealing with acute pollution, nuclear preparedness in Svalbard, and must also be pre- accidents and pandemics, as well as a general cri- pared to assist the Governor of Svalbard in crisis sis management plan and other emergency pre- management. In coordinating with the emergency paredness plans. preparedness council, the Governor of Svalbard When an incident occurs, managing it depends obtains a good overview of available capacities on the efforts of volunteers and the provision of and expertise in the archipelago. resources from the mainland when necessary. In A key element in the civil protection duties of 2015 the local rescue coordination centre in Sval- the Governor of Svalbard is the preparation of a bard coordinated 80 rescue missions. This num- risk and vulnerability (RAV) analysis for Svalbard. ber has remained relatively stable over time, with In 2013 the Governor prepared an RAV analysis an annual average of 71 over the past five years. for Svalbard covering the following main catego- ries: natural incidents, major accidents, and seri- ous intentional incidents. It was based in part on 10.2.2 Longyearbyen Community Council the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emer- Within its geographic area of responsibility, which gency Planning’s national risk assessment. The corresponds to the Longyearbyen land-use plan- RAV analysis was prepared in cooperation with ning area, the Longyearbyen Community Council local emergency preparedness actors and adopted (LCC) is an important actor in civil protection and by the emergency preparedness council for Sval- emergency preparedness in Svalbard. bard, and provides a basis for revising and further Since 2011 the municipalities have had a gen- developing an integrated set of emergency prepar- eral emergency preparedness duty under the Act edness plans. An updated RAV analysis is due to relating to the municipal preparedness duty, civil be completed in 2016. protection measures and the Norwegian civil By area, Svalbard is Norway’s largest police defence (Civil Protection Act). The purpose of a district, and the Governor has the same authority general preparedness duty is to ensure that the as a chief of police on the mainland. The police municipalities view preparedness activities in con- manpower was expanded with three new positions text and plan accordingly. On 18 December 2012 a from 1 July 2014, and a new operations room was similar duty was imposed on the LCC through opened when construction of the Governor’s regulations authorised by the Civil Protection Act administration building was completed in the that make parts of the act applicable to Svalbard. autumn of 2014. This will improve the Governor’s The regulations exist to ensure that the LCC ability to address new and major challenges in the attends to the safety and security of the popula- areas of rescue and emergency preparedness. tion. The LCC must work systematically and cohe- sively on civil protection across sectors, with a view to reducing the risk of loss of life or damage Svalbard local rescue coordination centre to health, the environment or material assets. As chief of police, the Governor of Svalbard also The LCC is required to undertake a general heads the rescue management team in the local risk and vulnerability (RAV) analysis that includes rescue centre in Svalbard. In addition to the Gov- mapping, systemising and assessing the likeli- 104 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Box 10.1 Strengthened cooperation in the Arctic Increased activity and traffic in the Arctic region bard to the North Pole. The agreement estab- call for a strengthening of rescue service coop- lished a more binding rescue service coopera- eration between countries with search and res- tion, including enhanced regional organisation cue responsibilities in Arctic waters. In 2011 of search and rescue operations in the Arctic. Norway concluded a treaty with Canada, Den- The agreement was signed at the Arctic Coun- mark, Finland, Iceland, Russia, Sweden and the cil’s ministerial meeting in Nuuk, Greenland, United States to cooperate on search and rescue and is being followed up by the Emergency Pre- coverage in connection with air and sea traffic in vention, Preparedness and Response Working the Arctic. Group (EPPR). Norway’s area of responsibility for search This reinforced search and rescue coopera- and rescue was expanded when Norway tion is important for optimising the resources assumed responsibility further east towards the available in the region and for being able to Russian area of responsibility and north of Sval- respond promptly to persons in distress.

Figure 10.1 Map of ‘rescue sectors’. Map design: Arctic Portal Source: Arctic Council

hood of undesirable incidents that could occur in The local government must be prepared to the Longyearbyen land-use planning and how manage undesirable incidents and, based on the they could affect the planning area and the LCC. general RAV analysis, develop a general prepared- The LCC prepared a RAV analysis in 2014 which ness plan. The preparedness plan must coordinate forms the basis for agency-specific emergency and integrate other preparedness plans for the preparedness plans. planning area, and must be coordinated with other 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 105 Svalbard relevant public and private crisis and prepared- hospital medical and nursing care. Health and wel- ness plans. The regulations set out the minimum fare services are discussed in more detail in sec- requirements for what preparedness plans must tion 6.3.3. cover. The hospital is an acute-care hospital with The LCC provides the fire and emergency pre- round-the-clock emergency preparedness, and is paredness service, fire prevention activity and the involved in all types of incidents that may lead to alarm service, and operates the ambulance ser- health problems. As well as acute illness or injury, vice on behalf of Longyearbyen Hospital. these may involve contamination of drinking The Longyearbyen Fire and Rescue Service water, power outages, food shortages, animal has a duty to protect and save human life, prop- pests and contagious diseases. erty and the environment. The emergency Important elements of health preparedness for response service is organised as an emergency acutely sick and injured persons in Svalbard and standby service staffed by part-time personnel. the surrounding waters are the manpower and The Fire and Rescue Service has a technically expertise at Longyearbyen Hospital, close com- advanced alarm centre for receiving emergency munication with UNN Tromsø, and fast evacua- calls via the 110 emergency number. The centre tion/transport to the mainland. Svalbard’s health also monitors external fire alarms and technical service will always have to deal with much of the alarms in Longyearbyen. The centre is based in initial phase of an emergency. Longyearbyen Hos- the premises of Energiverket and is manned by pital is not adequately equipped to deal with major personnel on a round-the-clock duty rota. incidents single-handedly. This heightens the Activities are also conducted to raise aware- necessity of coordination with UNN Tromsø and ness about fire prevention. This is done by inform- efficient transportation to and from the mainland ing inhabitants, supervising special fire objects, in cases of severe, acute illness or injury. A sum- assisting with training activity and conducting fire mary report on of the avalanche of 19 December drills. The Longyearbyen Fire and Rescue Service 2015, prepared by the Northern Norway Regional also assists the Governor of Svalbard with fire Health Authority (RHA), UNN Tromsø and Long- safety supervision in the inhabited locations out- yearbyen Hospital, identified many areas for side Longyearbyen. improvement. The Northern Norway RHA will fol- low this matter up in cooperation with the Gover- nor of Svalbard. Fire protection legislation in Svalbard Through their duty of care, the Northern Nor- The following laws apply to Svalbard: the Act relat- way RHA and the University Hospital of North ing to flammable liquids and gases under pressure Norway have responsibility for all health services (Act of 21 May 1971 No. 47) and the Act relating in Svalbard. Experience from incidents such as to explosive goods (Act of 14 June 1974 No. 39). In the avalanche in Longyearbyen in December 2015 addition, regulations relating specifically to fire shows that the psychosocial aspects of emergency protection apply to Svalbard, with legal basis in preparedness are important. A process will be ini- the Svalbard Act (Regulations of 20 August 1993 tiated to review the status of psychosocial emer- No. 815). The Ministry of Justice and Public Secu- gency preparedness and follow-up in Svalbard. rity is working to make the Act relating to the pre- Based on the Governor of Svalbard’s work vention of fire and explosion (Act of 14 June 2002 updating the RAV analysis for Svalbard, which is No. 20) applicable in Svalbard. The Directorate for due to be completed in 2016, it is natural that the Civil Protection and Emergency Planning, the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority Governor of Svalbard and the Longyearbyen Com- assess whether its overall resource capability is munity Council contribute to this activity. sufficient for fulfilling its duty of care in respect of emergency medical preparedness in Svalbard. 10.2.3 Longyearbyen Hospital Longyearbyen Hospital is a key actor in Svalbard’s 10.2.4 Svalbard Church emergency health preparedness, and supplies Svalbard Church is formally integrated in rescue health services to the population and others visit- service cooperation with the Governor of Sval- ing and travelling around Svalbard. The hospital is bard, and is prepared to take part in this work by part of University Hospital of North Norway providing support to those involved. The church (UNN) and provides primary health services, pre- is also an important resource in the work that ventive health services, infection control and pre- goes on during and after incidents. The church is 106 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard part of the Governor of Svalbard’s advisory staff, The emergency medical services outside hos- and assists in the task of notifying next of kin. pitals are discussed in an Official Norwegian With a capacity of approximately 60, the church Report (NOU 2015: 17 Først og fremst). Accord- community room could be suitable as a centre for ing to the report, today’s air ambulances are evacuees and relatives. poorly suited for longer missions and the load constraints for missions to Svalbard and Jan Mayen are considerable. The regional health 10.3 Resources authorities’ national air ambulance service (Luftambulansetjenesten ANS) will enter into an 10.3.1 Helicopter agreement to procure air ambulance services for Since 1 April 2014, the Governor of Svalbard has emergency preparedness and for planned mis- had two large rescue helicopters. A contract has sions on behalf of the four regional health authori- been signed with Lufttransport AS for the hiring ties. The new agreement will run from July 2019 of two Super Puma helicopters, complete with to 2030. advanced equipment. This arrangement was reached as a result of both the expanded area of responsibility resulting from the Arctic search and 10.3.3 Service vessels rescue agreement and the added significance The Governor of Svalbard’s service vessel, Longyearbyen will gain as a base for search and Polarsyssel, is a key resource in rescue and emer- rescue operations and pollution preparedness in gency preparedness missions involving ship- the northern waters. wrecks, groundings, oil spills, personal injuries, These long-range helicopters can rescue up to etc. To strengthen and adapt the Governor of Sval- 18 people in distress within a radius of 120 nauti- bard’s rescue and emergency preparedness cal miles. They have modern search equipment as duties and to conduct necessary inspections and well as greater load capacity and better communi- supervision of the growing traffic at sea and cations and safety equipment than previous mod- around the archipelago, NOK 18 million was allo- els. Response time has been reduced from two cated in 2016 to extend the length of the vessel’s hours during normal office hours and 12 hours service season by about three months; see Rec- otherwise to two hours around the clock. Con- ommendation No. 17 S (2015–2016). It is vital that struction of a new, modern hangar was completed helicopters and vessels can coordinate success- on 1 April 2014 to provide appropriate hangar con- fully, and the service vessel is therefore equipped ditions for the new helicopters. The result is a sig- with a helipad big enough to accommodate the nificant increase in emergency preparedness and Governor of Svalbard’s helicopters. safety for permanent residents of Svalbard, tour- The year 2015 was the first year the vessel ists, and the search and rescue helicopter crews. sailed the entire season (180 days). The experi- During the summer months, Lufttransport AS ences were generally positive, and an agreement also operates other helicopters for clients in Sval- was reached in March 2016 to extend the season bard, such as Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkom- to 270 days. pani AS and the Norwegian Polar Institute. The new long-range search and rescue heli- copters to be introduced on the mainland in 2020 10.3.4 Norwegian Coast Guard have greater capacity than today’s Sea King heli- The Norwegian Coast Guard is a vital resource in copters and will therefore further strengthen Sval- rescue operations in Svalbard. The Norwegian bard’s helicopter preparedness. Coast Guard cooperates closely with the Gover- nor of Svalbard. The Governor of Svalbard has entered into a cooperation agreement with the 10.3.2 Air ambulance Norwegian Coast Guard specifying guidelines for Geographic conditions and community patterns the support to be provided. Furthermore, the make the air ambulance a vital service for effec- Coast Guard vessel KV Svalbard is approved for tive treatment, transport and preparedness in the coordinated actions with the Governor of Sval- event of acute illness or injury. The service con- bard’s helicopters, such as helicopter landings on tributes to the provision of equitable health care, the vessel. This strengthens civil emergency pre- and is a necessity if patients are to benefit from paredness in the areas around Svalbard. modern treatments of time-critical conditions when distances to relevant hospitals are long. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 107 Svalbard

Figure 10.2 The Governor of Svalbard’s service vessel and helicopter. Photo: Per Andreassen, Office of the Governor of Svalbard

The Governor of Svalbard cooperates closely 10.3.5 Longyearbyen Red Cross Search and with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre on plan- Rescue Corps ning and carrying out joint exercises, and the The Longyearbyen Red Cross Search and Rescue expertise and capacity of the rescue corps consti- Corps has 60 active volunteers and is organised tutes a vital part of Svalbard’s emergency prepared- into avalanche, glacier, vehicle and marking ness and rescue resources. The Longyearbyen Red groups. A training programme developed for Cross Search and Rescue Corps is a key resource members lasts two years and consists of a 40-hour in Svalbard’s local rescue coordination centre. compulsory first-aid course and considerable field training. A duty phone has also been set up that can issue a mass alert when the Governor of Sval- 10.4 Exercises bard reports a need for assistance. The Search and Rescue Corps has considerable material Exercises are an important way of strengthening resources, including a mobile field hospital. coordination between different actors. A high In cooperation with other emergency prepar- level of exercise activity was maintained again in edness actors, including the Governor of Svalbard 2015. In addition to individual training activity and and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre North- exercises, most exercises have been carried out in ern Norway, the Longyearbyen Red Cross Search cooperation with one or more of the cooperating and Rescue Corps has developed an Arctic Sur- emergency preparedness actors. vival Kit concept. The concept consists of 30 bags that can be dropped from an airplane or helicop- ter, with a capacity for 240 persons. Each bag con- Exercise Svalbard tains equipment for eight people: four mountain Exercise Svalbard was a national emergency tarps, two ground sheets, eight bottles of water, health preparedness exercise that was carried out eight heat packs, one rescue blanket, splints, and on 4 and 5 November 2014. The main scenario a first-aid kit. This concept makes up part of the was an explosion and fire on board a cruise ship. rescue preparedness in and around Svalbard. The exercise involved evacuating passengers to 108 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard the mainland and evacuating casualties to the Uni- tion Centre, the Longyearbyen Red Cross, the versity Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø with Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Norwe- the help of resources from the Norwegian Armed gian Directorate of Health and a number of other Forces and the Swedish authorities. Emphasis directorates and ministries. An evaluation confer- was also given to lessons learned from 22 July ence was held and an evaluation report written, 2011. and areas for improvement will be followed up. The purpose of the exercise was to manage a The exercise showed that Svalbard has is well large-scale incident, find weaknesses, and con- trained in emergency preparedness. However, sider improvements. The exercise involved all emergency medical personnel are an extremely stages and levels in the rescue, evacuation and vulnerable resource. The same applies to emer- treatment chain, from the accident scene in Sval- gency medical equipment. It is therefore neces- bard to the local hospital, and evacuation from sary to have access to prompt and comprehensive Svalbard to the mainland. A wide variety of offices medical assistance from the mainland. and organisations took part, among them: the In 2015 the National Police Directorate, the Governor of Svalbard, the Longyearbyen Commu- Norwegian Directorate of Health and the Directo- nity Council, the Northern Norway Regional rate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning Health Authority, the County Governor of Troms, established national procedures for cooperation the University Hospital of North Norway, the Nor- between the emergency services in situations of wegian Armed Forces, the Joint Rescue Coordina- acute and life-threatening violence (pågående livs-

Figure 10.3 Exercise Svalbard. Passengers from the accident vessel jumped or were thrown into the water in Billefjorden. The Governor of Svalbard’s helicopters evacuated passengers to land (Brucebyen), where a temporary reception centre was set up and manned by the police, medical personnel and volunteers from the Longyearbyen Red Cross Search and Rescue Corps. Equipment consisted of a field hospital with multi-fuel heaters, rescue blankets, etc., which the Red Cross stores. This material was flown out along with emergency response personnel. Life-saving first aid was administered on site, and medical personnel prioritised the patients by condition before airlifting them to Longyearbyen and the hospital. Photo: Stefan Claes, UNIS 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 109 Svalbard

exercise in managing acute pollution in the waters surrounding Svalbard. The exercise is a direct fol- Box 10.2 Rescue service low-up of the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s ‘Norwegian rescue service’ refers to the pub- emergency preparedness analysis for maritime licly organised emergency response from mul- traffic in the areas around Svalbard and Jan tiple cooperating partners to rescue people Mayen (2014); the purpose of the exercise is from death or injury resulting from acute acci- partly to verify some of the issues that came to dents or dangerous situations that are not spe- light in the analysis and partly to accumulate cifically dealt with by established bodies or experience relating to Arctic maritime pollution special measures. The rescue service is a col- responses. laboration of public bodies, volunteer organi- sations and private enterprises and individuals under the leadership and coordination of two 10.5 Specific issues Joint Rescue Coordination Centres and subor- dinate local rescue coordination centres. Sval- 10.5.1 Flooding and avalanches bard is an important element in the Norwe- The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy gian rescue service, and has its own local res- Directorate (NVE) has overall responsibility for cue coordination centre. public administration tasks related to the preven- The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre tion of flood and avalanche damage. This involves leads and coordinates all types of rescue mis- assisting municipalities and society at large with sions (land, sea and air rescue services). This expertise and resources for mapping, land-use is done either directly from the Joint Rescue planning, securing, monitoring, alerting and Coordination Centre Northern Norway or the emergency preparedness. In 2013 Svalbard was Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Southern included, on par with mainland municipalities, in Norway, or via missions assigned to subordi- the assistance NVE provides to prevent flood and nate local rescue coordination centres. The avalanche damage. This followed Meld. St. 15 Joint Rescue Coordination Centre also has (2011–2012) Hvordan leve med farene, a white leadership responsibility for maintaining and paper on living with flood and avalanche hazards. further developing cooperation within the res- cue service between incidents. Each coordina- tion centre consists of a rescue management Flood and avalanche warnings team composed of the main cooperation part- Monitoring and warning about floods and ava- ners, and is headed by the chief of police for lanches help mitigate the consequences of these Bodø or Sola. incidents and enhance safety for people living and A new organisational plan for the rescue travelling in exposed areas. Time spent in service was adopted by Royal Decree on exposed areas can be limited, and damage to mov- 19 June 2015. The resolution entered into able assets avoided. force on 2 November 2015. The supporting On the mainland, NVE issues regional warn- instructions give a mandate and directions for ings for floods, landslides and snow avalanches. the composition of the local rescue coordina- Local authorities must decide how to respond to tion centres. For Svalbard’s local rescue coor- the regional warnings. dination centre, the mandate applies with nec- Since the winter of 2014/2015, NVE has been essary adaptations. See section 10.2.1 for a conducting a pilot project for regional avalanche more detailed discussion of Svalbard’s local warnings, with main target group consisting of rescue coordination centre. people travelling in avalanche terrain and parties responsible for closing and opening transport arteries and evacuating buildings. The planned time period for the pilot project in 2015/2016 was truende vold (PLIVO)). The Governor of Svalbard, extended as a consequence of the avalanche in Longyearbyen Hospital and the Longyearbyen December 2015 (see Box 10.3). In addition, a sys- Fire and Rescue Service carried out a joint exer- tem of local avalanche risk assessments was cise in PLIVO procedures in 2015. This will be fol- established for avalanche-prone buildings in Long- lowed up with annual exercises. yearbyen. Local avalanche warnings and ava- In the autumn of 2016 the Norwegian Coastal lanche risk assessments for avalanche-prone Administration will carry out a full-scale joint buildings are normally covered by local actors. 110 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

The pilot project will be evaluated and followed up in an activity in Svalbard to prevent acute pollution in consultation with the Longyearbyen Commu- and ensure that measures be taken should pollution nity Council. NVE plans to continue issuing its occur, including measures to mitigate the damage avalanche warnings in Svalbard during the winter to nature. The preparedness requirements imposed of 2016/2017, using much the same format as on enterprises in Svalbard are laid down by the Nor- when the service was launched in January 2016. wegian Environment Agency. In the event of an acute oil spill in Svalbard, the party responsible for the spill will be responsi- Safety measures ble for cleaning it up. This is done under the ‘Safety measures’ refers to various physical meas- supervision of the Norwegian Coastal Administra- ures to reduce the damaging effects of floods and tion, which can delegate its authority to the Gover- avalanches on buildings and infrastructure. Every nor of Svalbard. year NVE sets priorities as to which safety meas- The Norwegian Coastal Administration and ures can be funded on the basis of social cost-ben- the Governor of Svalbard have an agreement to efit analyses. NVE can provide funding for safety coordinate oil spill contingency operations for measures of up to 80 per cent of the development Svalbard, including Bjørnøya. The agreement also costs. The assistance programme for funding and applies to other sources of pollution. The agree- carrying out safety measures is not rights-based; ment is based on the assumption that emergency instead, funds are allocated from the national preparedness organisations are familiar with their budget on a priority basis. respective responsibilities and tasks in connection Potential safety measures in Svalbard must be with oil spill contingency operations in this area. evaluated in the same manner as on the mainland. In the agreement, responsibilities related to the In cooperation with the authorities in Longyear- duty to respond are divided between the Norwe- byen, NVE has so far focused on floods and slush gian Coastal Administration and the Governor of avalanches in Longyearelva and Vannlednings- Svalbard, based on geographic zones. dalen. Together with the authorities in Longyear- An oil spill contingency depot has been estab- byen, NVE will assess the need for safety meas- lished in Longyearbyen, and a smaller amount of ures. This need must be seen in the context of equipment is stored at Ny-Ålesund. Oil spill future land use in Longyearbyen. See also the dis- response equipment is also available in Barents- cussion of land-use development in Chapter 6. burg and Svea. Depot equipment is primarily intended to deal with spills of heavy fuel oil. The Governor of Svalbard’s service vessel, Polarsyssel, Mapping of floods and avalanches is the most important resource in oil spill prepar- Hazard and risk mapping provides knowledge edness in Svalbard, and is equipped with oil spill about which areas are prone to flood and ava- response equipment when at sea. lanche and about the potential consequences. In 2014 the Norwegian Coastal Administration Such knowledge is needed for methodical, effec- conducted an environmental risk and prepared- tive risk management of floods and avalanches. ness analysis for Svalbard. One of the findings of The mapping of flood and avalanche hazards the analysis was the need for access to more local in Svalbard will be given priority in NVE’s national equipment and personnel. A more detailed mapping programme in 2016. This will provide a account of the analysis will be presented in the better basis for the Longyearbyen Community planned white paper to the Storting on maritime Council when reviewing land-use plans. The new safety and emergency preparedness in 2016. mapping is also important for emergency prepar- edness management and for gaining an overview of where the need for safety measures is most 10.5.3 Shipping and maritime safety pressing. More than 80 per cent of maritime traffic in the Arctic passes through Norwegian waters. The level of maritime traffic in the waters surrounding 10.5.2 Preparedness against acute pollution Svalbard has increased in recent years, and new Preparedness against acute pollution is an impor- areas have become accessible for longer periods tant damage mitigation measure. The formal basis in the year as a result of retreating sea ice. It is for preparedness and response to acute oil pollution important to be able to manage this increased is enshrined in the Svalbard Environmental Protec- activity in ways that are safe, environmentally tion Act. The act imposes a duty on anyone engaged friendly and effective. 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 111 Svalbard

Box 10.3 The avalanche in Longyearbyen The avalanche on 19 December 2015 demon- ple’s Aid, and other volunteers. These were all strated that the community in Longyearbyen is transported to Svalbard.There was also a need able and willing to step up when incidents occur. for emergency response personnel to quickly The accident resulted in two fatalities and sev- return to the mainland once their mission was eral injured. A number of houses were heavily completed. The same applied to volunteers and damaged, and almost two hundred people were others who wanted to leave Svalbard in light of evacuated. The avalanche from Sukkertoppen the uncertain situation in and around Longyear- was approximately 200 metres wide. The Nor- byen. The Ministry of Justice and Public Secu- wegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) estimates rity therefore commissioned a plane to transport that 20,000 m3 of snow was released. This is these people to the mainland. equivalent to approximately 5,000 tonnes of The accident mobilised an entire community. snow. The size of the avalanche was classified as The rescue services performed a major and vital large (Class 4 of a possible 5). The cause of the task. What is more, the entire community avalanche was a combination of old snow cover stepped up to save lives and care for those with persistent weak layers at ground level, directly affected. The way in which the accident snow precipitation, a temperature rise and was managed demonstrated the Svalbard com- strong easterly winds that carried extremely munity’s strong collective commitment to emer- large amounts of snow onto the leeward side gency response. All the same, it is important above the affected buildings. that the incident be reviewed. The Ministry of A rescue mission was immediately launched Justice and Public Security has charged the by the Governor of Svalbard, Longyearbyen Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Hospital and the Longyearbyen Fire Service. Planning with the task of evaluating the incident, Crews from the Longyearbyen Red Cross with the assistance of the Joint Rescue Coordi- Search and Rescue Corps and many volunteers nation Centre Southern Norway and the Norwe- from Longyearbyen also took part. gian Police University College. Both preventive The avalanche created a critical need for efforts and management of the actual incident assistance from the mainland. This assistance will be evaluated with a view to making potential consisted of air ambulances, medical personnel, improvements. The evaluation is to be submit- police officers, NGI and NVE representatives, ted to the ministry by 1 September 2016. search and rescue dogs from Norwegian Peo-

Accidents involving vessels can lead to loss of engine breakdowns or other incidents at sea. Cli- life and environmental or material damage. The matic conditions, long distances, and relatively measures to prevent accidents include require- few local resources make search and rescue oper- ments for ships and crews, maritime infrastruc- ations, preparedness against acute pollution and ture, traffic monitoring, and services such as pilot- clean-up operations in Svalbard particularly chal- age services. Emergency preparedness for cases lenging tasks. To ensure sustainable development in which accidents occur is also important. and prevent accidents and harmful spills, it is There are special challenges associated with important that the industry set high safety and maritime traffic in the waters surrounding Sval- environmental standards. bard, in addition to which this area contains vast Report No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting natural assets that are vulnerable to the effects of Svalbard placed decisive emphasis on preventive incidents such as acute oil spills. The archipelago’s measures in the work of reinforcing maritime geographic and climatic conditions, in combination safety in Svalbard, and underlined the need for with deficient navigational charts and limited access monitoring and for further development of mari- to communication systems, pose constant chal- time safety regulations. In the period since the lenges to maritime safety around the archipelago. white paper was published, the focus on maritime In addition, more extreme weather could safety and preventive measures for ships and affect maritime traffic in the waters surrounding crews operating in polar waters has increased, Svalbard and exacerbate the consequences of both nationally and internationally. 112 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

A number of measures have been introduced account for a very large proportion of the traffic to improve maritime safety in the waters sur- (close to 70 per cent). The amount of traffic in the rounding Svalbard. The state pilotage service was form of cargo ships and tank ships is less around launched in 2012. Transitional schemes ensured a Svalbard than along the mainland. Cruise traffic gradual introduction, and the first season with has increased in recent years, and today accounts compulsory pilotage in the archipelago was for almost 20 per cent of the total cruise traffic in launched in 2015. More effective monitoring tools Norwegian waters. have been introduced, and although large areas Because there is markedly less maritime traf- still remain uncharted, extensive work has been fic in the waters surrounding Svalbard, the done on charting the waters surrounding Sval- expected frequency of maritime accidents is lower bard. Moreover, international efforts on the Polar in the areas around the archipelago than along the Code, behind which Norway has been a driving mainland coastline. Nevertheless, a shipping acci- force, are now complete. The Polar Code also cov- dent near Svalbard could have serious conse- ers the waters surrounding Svalbard, and will quences for life, health and the environment. enter into force in 2017. Svalbard consists to a large degree of espe- Future challenges relate to a number of fac- cially vulnerable and protected natural areas. The tors. Both weather and ice conditions can change overall potential for damage in Svalbard is there- quickly, causing changes to the water itself along fore large, while the acceptance of risk of environ- the coast. Correspondingly, increased activity in mental damage is proportionately low. Acute oil the High North, Svalbard included, will create spills from shipping are among the incidents with new challenges to preventive maritime safety. the most potential to cause significant and long- Other developments in Svalbard and in the High term damage to the natural environment. The North call for a thorough assessment of maritime greatest risk of environmental damage from acci- safety in the archipelago, and for the implementa- dents is to coastal waters. tion of measures wherever necessary. Response times for action after an acute oil The objective is to reduce the risk of undesira- spill will be long in most places in Svalbard, ble incidents in maritime transport in Svalbard, so depending on the distance to local oil spill that damage to life, health and the environment response equipment and vessels with oil spill can be avoided. Preventive measures are crucial response equipment permanently on board. Oil to Svalbard. The Government will ensure that spills can therefore spread over large areas before maritime activity sets high standards of safety and oil spill response measures can be implemented. emergency preparedness in the north. Moreover, availability of infrastructure for opera- The following sections present a description of tions in the event of accidents and challenges is the risk situation, as well as a discussion of the dif- limited, due to the long distances in the archipel- ferent elements which, combined, contribute to ago. This applies to factors such as the number of maritime safety in Svalbard. depots, suitable emergency ports and available towing vessels. Such accidents may therefore affect human life and the environment more Risk situation adversely than similar situations on the mainland. Surveillance data show that there is maritime traf- To avoid acute spillage of heavy fuel oil in con- fic around the whole of Svalbard. Passenger ships nection with shipping accidents, fuel quality in particular navigate close to the coastline and requirements have been set to the equivalent of around the whole of Svalbard when ice conditions light marine diesel fuel for ships sailing in the permit. The west side of Spitsbergen, particularly nature reserves on the east side and in the large Isfjorden and Van Mijenfjord, has the most traffic. national parks on the west side. The bans in these Moreover, maritime traffic in the waters sur- areas were introduced in 2007 and 2009 respec- rounding Svalbard is seasonal. The extent of tively. This means that heavy fuel oil is prohibited sailed distance from January to April is relatively in most parts of Svalbard’s territorial sea. small. Thereafter it increases, peaking in the months from July to October. The traffic level decreases from November. Regulations Maritime traffic around Svalbard differs from The International Maritime Organization (IMO), maritime traffic in marine areas such as the North a UN agency, develops international rules for Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea in shipping. This international regulatory framework that traffic density is far lower and fishing vessels establishes important parameters for Norway’s 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 113 Svalbard regulation of maritime transport. The trend is moving towards increasingly stringent environ- Box 10.4 Maritime strategy mental and safety regulations. Regardless of where a vessel is located, it is subject to general In 2015 the Government launched its maritime requirements for ships and crews that follow from strategy, entitled ‘Maritime Opportunities – international regulations. Flag states are obliged Blue Growth for a Green Future’. This strat- to conduct inspections and supervision to ensure egy covers the High North, and contains sev- that their ships comply with the regulations. In eral measures of significance for maritime addition, foreign ships calling at Norwegian ports activity and maritime safety in Svalbard: are subject to inspection. – Ensure high standards of safety and emer- The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of gency preparedness for maritime activity in 1982 provides the legal framework for use of the the north. sea. Like maritime traffic in other waters, mari- – Contribute to stronger global marketing of time traffic in polar waters is subject to interna- Norway’s unique Arctic maritime expertise tional conventions adopted in the IMO. So far, the and favourable geographic position for Arc- regulatory framework has not been adapted to tic maritime activity, research and compe- account for conditions in polar waters. Norway tence building. has therefore been a driving force in calling for – Ensure a good level of emergency prepar- the implementation of binding global regulations edness in search and rescue and oil spill for ships operating in polar waters (the Polar contingency planning in the High North. Code); see Box 10.5, ‘The Polar Code’. – Ensure effective implementation of the An important contribution to enhance mari- Polar Code. time safety in Svalbard is the Ship Safety and – Consider further operationalisation of the Security Act, which entered into force in 2007. Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronauti- This act applies to Norwegian ships regardless of cal and Maritime Search and Rescue in the their location, including in Svalbard. The Ship Arctic (SAR-Arctic) Safety and Security Act has been made applicable to Norwegian as well as foreign ships operating inside the Norwegian territorial sea of Svalbard, with certain adaptations. Under the act, the Nor- wegian Maritime Authority has the authority to 10.5.4 Maritime safety measures in Svalbard carry out port state inspections of foreign ships. Safe navigation in the Arctic is contingent on relia- The Ship Labour Act, which entered into force on ble maritime navigation charts and ice data, and is 20 August 2013, applies to employees who work a key part of the infrastructure needed to secure on board Norwegian ships, regardless of where life, health, the environment and assets. Mapping they sail, including around Svalbard. of the Arctic marine areas in general is inade- One important contribution towards regulat- quate, while the need for good charts is height- ing and facilitating safe maritime traffic in Sval- ened by the increase in traffic density and the bard has been the introduction of a maritime appearance of larger, more deep-drafting vessels safety system and legal framework similar the and higher-speed vessels. The work begun on mainland’s. Harbour and fairway legislation was charting important maritime areas around Sval- made to apply to Svalbard in 2008 and extended in bard will continue. the new Harbour and Fairways Act through regu- Well-functioning communications systems are lations relating to harbours and fairways in Sval- a prerequisite for safe navigation and for effective, bard, with certain adaptations. Correspondingly, reliable rescue services and emergency communi- the Pilotage Act was made applicable to Svalbard cations. However, existing satellite communica- in 2012 through regulations relating to pilotage tions systems offer little or no coverage north of services in Svalbard. The Ministry of Transport 75° N. The Government wants to have good com- and Communications, through the Norwegian munication systems in place for the marine areas Coastal Administration, is responsible for water- in the north. Furthermore, effective emergency ways management and has the authority to preparedness is dependent on land-based commu- impose specific fairway measures including traffic nications working optimally. It is therefore desira- and speed restrictions and tugboat requirements. ble to assess the need to expand the maritime coastal radio service (HF radio) to provide better coverage in the High North than is the case today. 114 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

Another key requirement for sound maritime safety is good surveillance, communications and Box 10.5 The Polar Code information systems. This is particularly impor- tant for Svalbard because of the relatively long dis- Like maritime traffic in other waters, shipping tances, and because access to emergency prepar- in polar waters is subject to international con- edness resources is extremely limited compared ventions adopted by the UN’s International to areas close to the mainland. The waters around Maritime Organization (IMO). The regulatory Svalbard are monitored by the Vardø Vessel Traf- framework so far has not been adapted to fic Service. Over the past 10 years, traffic monitor- account for the special conditions in polar ing in Norwegian coastal and marine areas has waters. Development of global, binding regu- been significantly improved, and situational lations for ships that operate in the Arctic and awareness today is far more detailed than ever Antarctic was put on the IMO’s agenda in 2009 before. The development of infrastructure for at the suggestion of Denmark, Norway and receiving signals from the Automatic Identifica- the United States. The Polar Code has now tion System (AIS), used in collision avoidance and been adopted, and will enter into force on tracking, has been important to improved moni- 1 January 2017. Norway has been a central toring. AIS signals can be detected by radio from actor in the development of the Polar Code, other ships, and also from land-based base sta- and has led the work in IMO. tions and satellites. The Polar Code is a binding global regula- The Norwegian Coastal Administration devel- tory framework for ships operating in polar ops technical solutions for land-based AIS base waters, meaning the Arctic and Antarctic. The stations in Svalbard. The development of the land- Polar Code comes in addition to the regula- based AIS base stations was discussed in Report tory framework already present in applicable No. 22 (2008–2009) to the Storting Svalbard and conventions and codes (SOLAS, MARPOL, firmly embedded in Report No. 26 (2012–2013) to the STCW Convention, etc.). the Storting National Transport Plan 2014–2023. The Polar Code consists of two parts, one The Government will build land-based AIS base dealing with safety and the other with the envi- stations in the areas in Svalbard with heaviest traf- ronment. The code sets specific requirements fic in order to reinforce maritime traffic monitor- for ships operating in these waters regarding ing and provide the Vardø Vessel Traffic Service construction, equipment, operation, protec- and other agencies with continually updated mari- tion of the marine environment, navigation time situation reports. This will provide a better and crew training. The Polar Code represents basis for following up accidents and mounting some of the most important work that has effective rescue operations. been done to ensure sustainable shipping in The pilotage scheme should make maritime polar waters. The Government intends to traffic safer and protect the environment by ensur- ensure effective implementation of the regula- ing that vessels operating in Norwegian coastal tions. waters have navigators with good knowledge of the waterways and competence to sail safely. Compulsory pilotage was introduced gradually, and was fully enforced in Svalbard in 2015. This means that the state pilotage service, the pilotage tion. The objective is that the devices themselves obligation and the pilot exemption certification and their operation should leave the smallest pos- scheme also apply to Svalbard. Introduction of the sible footprint in Svalbard’s vulnerable environ- pilotage service is an important measure for ment. The extent of marking is assessed in light of increasing maritime safety in Svalbard. traffic trends around the archipelago. In Vestpynten near Longyearbyen, successful tests have been conducted of navigational devices Lighthouses and beacons powered on energy from solar panels. The exist- Lighthouses and beacons are visual or radar- ing navigational infrastructure in Svalbard will be based devices used for position tracking and safe further developed and modernised to optimise navigation along coastlines. In Svalbard the Nor- risk reduction and lower operating and mainte- wegian Polar Institute is responsible for operating nance costs. This can include systematic rebuild- and maintaining the navigational devices, on com- ing of the lighthouse lights to operate on the basis mission from the Norwegian Coastal Administra- of LED light sources and solar cells. This upgrade 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 115 Svalbard

with the mainland, there are no special aviation safety challenges in Svalbard beyond those associ- Box 10.6 BarentsWatch ated with the topographical and climate conditions BarentsWatch is a comprehensive monitoring that prevail there. After reviewing reported acci- and information system that secures access to dents and incidents in Svalbard, the Civil Aviation quality-assured information about the north- Authority found no reason to conclude that flights ern marine and coastal areas. This system to and from the archipelago involve special safety makes it easer for various administrative bod- problems. ies to exchange information and data. Barents- In the autumn of 2010 Avinor commissioned Watch consists of two main parts: an open three new navigational systems (distance-meas- (public) part and a closed (restricted access) urement equipment) to ensure safer approaches part. The open part is a publicly accessible to Svalbard Airport, Longyear, and the airport in web portal for Norwegian and international Svea. This has led to significant improvements in users, and offers usefully organised and pro- safety during approaches. Avinor has found the cessed information covering topics such as cli- results so far to be positive. However, it has taken mate, the environment and maritime trans- time to develop procedures, and the potential in port. The closed part is a system for authori- the systems has not yet been fully tapped. ties with operative responsibility at sea, and is At present Svalbard Airport has a local aero- intended to enhance common, quality-con- drome flight information service (AFIS officers) trolled situational awareness as a basis for and no air traffic control service (air traffic con- improved operational management. trollers). According to regulations, air traffic con- trol services in the form of tower control must be established when the number of flight movements exceeds 15,000 in the two preceding years, and at would reduce maintenance needs, improve relia- least 7,500 of these flight movements are instru- bility and provide better navigational guidance. ment flights. An annual growth rate of 7–8 per Virtual navigation devices may prove useful in cent in the number of flights at Svalbard Airport Svalbard because of the climatic conditions there. could trigger such a requirement in the course of With such devices, chart symbols with navigation a 10-year perspective. Moreover, the regulations guidance are communicated to vessels via AIS permit the Civil Aviation Authority to demand base stations. Virtual navigation devices are not establishment of an air traffic control service yet used in Norwegian waters, but are used to under other circumstances following a discretion- some degree in other countries, including Arctic ary assessment of traffic and other conditions at areas. An example of their use is the marking of the airport. However, the Civil Aviation Authority open channels in ice. Consideration will be given has concluded that the current traffic situation to whether these navigation devices should be does not warrant the need to require establish- used where physical marking is impossible. How- ment of an air traffic control service at Svalbard ever, this measure will depend on the AIS base Airport. stations in Svalbard being expanded. The estab- lishment of virtual navigation devices will there- fore be considered, and will be viewed in connec- 10.6 Summary tion with the development of other maritime safety measures in Svalbard. Recent years have seen a significant strengthen- ing of rescue preparedness in Svalbard, in respect of resources such as new helicopters, a new ser- 10.5.5 Aviation safety level vice vessel with extended sailing season, and the Svalbard has an Arctic climate, and a number of introduction of preventive measures such as the weather-related incidents occur in connection state pilotage service and the Harbour and Fair- with flights landing at and departing from Sval- ways Act. Measures have been introduced to miti- bard Airport, Longyearbyen, such as wind shear gate the risk of incidents and environmental dam- and turbulence. All the same, the Civil Aviation age and to enhance safety both on land and at sea. Authority believes on the basis of experience that The avalanche in December 2015 served as a aviation safety in Svalbard is at about the same dramatic reminder of the importance of having level as elsewhere in Norway where similar flying the best possible local system that can immedi- takes place in uncontrolled airspace. Compared ately be coordinated and deployed to manage 116 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard emergency, extraordinary incidents and crises. gency Planning in its assessment following the The accident also showed the necessity for good avalanche on 19 December 2015. cooperation between the Governor of Svalbard, – Survey flood and avalanche risks in Longyear- the Longyearbyen Community Council, Longyear- byen in 2016, through the Norwegian Water byen Hospital, Svalbard Church, the Longyear- Resources and Energy Directorate. byen Red Cross and other local cooperating part- – Work nationally and internationally to ensure ners. The rescue operation was extensive, and effective implementation of the regulations on there was a shortage of human resources at sev- sailing in polar regions (the Polar Code). eral junctures. – Continually assess measures to reduce the risk It is also important to acknowledge that Long- of undesirable maritime transport incidents in yearbyen is and will remain dependent on Svalbard. resources from the mainland. The dimensions of – Continue the work of charting important mari- Svalbard’s emergency preparedness level will be time areas around Svalbard. continually assessed in the dialogue between the – Work towards establishing good communica- central authorities, the Governor of Svalbard and tion systems for the northern marine areas. other key actors in Svalbard. Forming the basis of – Further develop and modernise Svalbard’s this work will be the experiences gained from the existing navigation infrastructure to optimise avalanche, the evaluation report, and the general risk reduction and lower operating and mainte- increase in activity in the area. nance costs. The Government will: – Develop land-based AIS base stations in the – Continuously assess emergency preparedness busiest areas of Svalbard to strengthen mari- in Svalbard in light of the activities carried out time traffic monitoring. in the archipelago and changes in risk level. – Respond appropriately to any findings by the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emer- 2015–2016 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 117 Svalbard

11 Economic and administrative consequences

Three comprehensive white papers on Svalbard 11.1 Measures with limited or no have previously been presented to the Storting at budgetary consequences approximately 10-year intervals. The white papers have each helped guide the archipelago’s develop- In this white paper the Government stakes out a ment for a number of years, and the comprehen- course for development of Longyearbyen and sive review process has encouraged balanced management of the archipelago, in accordance development within the framework established by with the overriding objectives of the Svalbard pol- the Svalbard policy objectives. icy and in line with our long-term interests. The objectives of Norwegian Svalbard policy Account is given of measures which contribute to have remained the same for a long time and are achieving these objectives in different areas. set out in Report No. 40 (1985–1986) to the Stort- To ensure that Longyearbyen maintains a ing Svalbard, Report No. 9 (1999–2000) to the breadth and quality that coincides with Norwe- Storting Svalbard, and Report No. 22 (2008–2009) gian interests, this white paper outlines further to the Storting Svalbard. These objectives have development in selected areas. Tourism is an been reiterated in subsequent Storting documents important industry, and since the 1990s has relating to Svalbard and are reaffirmed annually become highly significant for Longyearbyen. This when the Svalbard budget is approved. white paper signals the authorities’ intention to With this white paper, the Government con- now take coordinated action to better facilitate firms that the overriding objectives of the Sval- tourism in the areas surrounding Longyearbyen bard policy remain unchanged. Continued predict- by allowing, for example, for the establishment of ability in the administration of Svalbard in line new commercial tourist cabins and facilitating dis- with these objectives provides security for the embarkation at selected locations in the Isfjorden population of Longyearbyen while enhancing sta- area. It also issues signals about facilitating the bility and predictability in the region. landing of fish for commercial use in the local This white paper describes challenges and hotel and tourism industry. possible measures for Svalbard. The Government Another key topic in this white paper is will continually assess the need for measures to research. Svalbard has been developed as a suc- ensure that further development of the Longyear- cessful platform for Norwegian and international byen community aligns with the Svalbard policy. research. It is important for Norway to be in the The avalanche disaster has also demonstrated the driver’s seat, visibly and clearly hosting activities. necessity of ensuring that Svalbard’s infrastruc- ture can accommodate the present level of activ- ity, as opposed to introducing new activities that 11.2 Measures proposed in the Revised might trigger a need for heavy investment. Within National Budget for 2016 these parameters, further development in selected areas is being facilitated. Longyearbyen was struck by a major avalanche It has been decided to suspend operations at on 19 December 2015, and several houses were the Lunckefjell mine in Svea, and the company’s destroyed. These houses cannot be rebuilt in the workforce has been heavily reduced. The work- same area. The Government has therefore pro- force reduction has so far not led to a correspond- posed increasing the allocation to the Longyear- ing reduction in the number of inhabitants in byen Community by NOK 10 million for housing Longyearbyen. This is partly because of the high and land development in Longyearbyen. level of commuting by the company’s employees. It must nonetheless be acknowledged that the consequences could have additional effect in future. 118 Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) 2015–2016 Svalbard

11.3 Major measures already begun 11.4 Other measures

In the estimated accounts for the 2015 central gov- The current capacity of Longyearbyen’s port facil- ernment budget, NOK 50 million was allocated for ity is limited. New port infrastructure is high- restructuring measures to develop Longyearbyen lighted locally as an important measure for fur- and pave the way for new economic activity and ther development. In the National Transport Plan new jobs. for 2014–2023, up to NOK 200 million in govern- The Longyearbyen Community Council was ment funds was set aside for harbour infrastruc- allocated NOK 4.5 million of these funds for ture. The Norwegian Coastal Administration is restructuring and economic development efforts already examining various solutions, and this in Longyearbyen. work is expected to be completed in October There is currently a maintenance backlog for 2016. The Government will then decide on the infrastructure measures in Longyearbyen. To way forward. reduce this maintenance backlog and simultane- With this white paper, the Government pre- ously contribute to new jobs in the construction sents an account of various measures that help sector, NOK 22 million of the NOK 50 million total reinforce the work involving Svalbard. Most of the was allotted to infrastructure projects in Long- measures described in this white paper can be yearbyen. covered by the relevant ministries’ existing budg- The Svalbard Business Council represents etary frameworks. Beyond these measures, the local business and industry, and works to promote white paper also discusses other measures that economic interests in the archipelago. The coun- could lead to spending increases within the cil was allocated NOK 0.5 million in restructuring national budget. Measures discussed in this white funds to facilitate restructuring and economic paper will be considered in connection with the development efforts in Longyearbyen. These Government’s further work related to Svalbard. funds are intended to generate cooperation The Government will return to proposals for spec- between local business and industry and local ifying and implementing the measures mentioned authorities. Innovation Norway was allocated in the white paper in connection with the annual NOK 20 million in restructuring funds towards budget proposals. establishing a stronger presence in Longyearbyen and towards developing and funding projects. New business and innovation expertise will be The Ministry of Justice and Public Security brought to strengthen opportunities for generat- recommends: ing a new economic boost in Svalbard. NOK 3 mil- lion has been allocated to develop a business and that the recommendation from the Ministry of innovation strategy specifically for Svalbard. Justice and Public Security concerning Svalbard dated 11 May 2016 should be submitted to the Storting. Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security

Published by: Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security

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KET T Meld. St. 32 (2015–2016) Report to the Storting (white paper) Telephone: + 47 222 40 000 ER RY M K Ø K J E L R I I Photo: Longyearbyen, Tommy Dahl Markussen M

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