New Building Blocks in the North The next Step in the Government’s High North Strategy Photos front page: Arild Lyssand/MFA Norway, Norwegian Coast Guard, Jan Fredrik Frantzen/Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, Kjell Ove Storvik/Norwegian Seafood Export Council, StatoilHydro, Christian Houge, Scanpix, Elkem FOREWORD NORWAY IN THE NORTH interest in the Arctic and the world’s north- – THE WAY FORWARD ernmost regions will continue to grow. It is our intention to stay ahead of these develop- The High North is Norway’s most important ments. strategic priority area. My Government made this clear in its inaugural address, and we Implementing the High North Strategy has followed up by presenting our High North given us opportunities to listen and learn Strategy on 1 December 2006. The overall from many sources in the north and in the aim is to enhance knowledge in and about the rest of Norway, as well as in our contact with north, increase our activity and presence in other countries. We have gained experience the area and lay the foundations for sustain- and have received valuable input. This has able economic and social development in the provided a basis for setting the course ahead. years to come. Part I of this publication – New Building More than two years have now passed since Blocks in the North – presents the Govern- the Government presented its High North ment’s platform for its further efforts in this Strategy. During this period we have gained field. further insight into the opportunities and challenges created by developments in the Part II of the publication provides the north, particularly in the fields of climate and backdrop to Part I. It contains examples that energy and in our relations with Russia. The illustrate the diversity of the challenges and High North Strategy contained 22 specific opportunities we are facing in our High North action points. Most of them have now been policy, and gives an overview of the issues we carried out. But that does not mean that the have been focusing on. strategy will soon be a closed chapter of a book we can lay aside. Quite the contrary. The Government intends to continue and The High North Strategy is a project that is intensify its High North efforts. These efforts constantly evolving. Achieving lasting results build on constructive partnerships – between will require focused efforts over several the public and private sector, between central parliamentary periods. We are only just at the and local authorities, and between Norwegian beginning. and foreign actors. There are no clear-cut answers. We want as many as possible to be The need to develop our High North Strategy involved in determining the way ahead, and is greater than ever. This is apparent when we encourage frank and broad-based debate. look at how the world around us is changing. During the past few months both the EU and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg the US have presented their own strategies Oslo/Tromsø, 12 March 2009. for the High North. They plan to step up their engagement in this area, and so do Russia and many other key actors. International 3 CONTENTS PART I NEW BUILDING BLOCKS IN THE NORTH THE NEXT STEP IN THE GOVERNMENT’S HIGH NORTH STRATEGY Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................................6 1. DEVELOPING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE HIGH NORTH....................................................................................................................................................8 1.1 Developing a centre for climate and environmental research in Tromsø .............................8 1.2 Establishing new technical research infrastructure .................................................................... 11 1.2.1 Establishing an Arctic earth observing system in Svalbard..........................................11 1.2.2 Building a next-generation radar system in the High North (EISCAT 3-D)................11 1.2.3 A new ice-class research vessel ............................................................................................12 1.3 Mapping the diversity of the seabed ............................................................................................... 13 2. IMPROVING MONITORING, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND MARITIME SAFETY SYSTEMS IN NORTHERN WATERS......................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Establishing an integrated monitoring and notification system............................................. 13 2.2 Improving pollution and emergency response systems ........................................................... 14 2.2.1 Further developing the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s maritime safety expertise .....................................................................................................14 2.2.2 Improving maritime safety...................................................................................................15 2.2.3 Strengthening the oil spill response ...................................................................................16 3. PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE USE OF OFFSHORE PETROLEUM AND RENEWABLE MARINE RESOURCES....................................................................................................................... 18 3.1 Developing marine industries.............................................................................................................. 19 3.1.1 A national initiative for cod farming..................................................................................19 3.1.2 A national initiative for marine bioprospecting .............................................................20 3.1.3 Exploring the potential of bioenergy based on marine algae .....................................21 3.1.4 Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing ...................................21 3.2 Developing maritime business activities ........................................................................................ 22 3.2.1 Developing Norwegian ports and supply industry in connection with a possible opening of new sea routes in the north................................................22 3.2.2 Developing expertise on maritime activity in Arctic areas ...........................................22 3.2.3 Satellite-based automatic ship identification..................................................................23 3.3 Developing petroleum-based business activities ........................................................................ 23 3.3.1 Developing a knowledge base for petroleum activities in the north ........................23 3.3.2 Encouraging regional ripple effects from petroleum activities in the north ...........24 3.3.3 Assessing alternative locations for petroleum bases in eastern Finnmark...............25 4 4. PROMOTING ONSHORE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH......................................................... 25 4.1 Developing tourism ................................................................................................................................ 26 4.2 Developing mineral-based industries........................................................................................27 4.3 Developing expertise and business activity based on Arctic conditions............................ 28 4.4 Strengthening innovation and development capacity ............................................................. 29 4.4.1 An innovation boost for business in the north ...............................................................29 4.4.2 Strengthening local development efforts........................................................................30 5. FURTHER DEVELOPING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NORTH............................................................... 31 5.1 Developing the knowledge infrastructure..................................................................................... 31 5.2 Developing the transport network ................................................................................................... 33 5.3 Upgrading electric power infrastructure and security of supply ........................................... 35 5.4 Further developing space-related infrastructure......................................................................... 36 6. THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO EXERCISE SOVEREIGNTY FIRMLY AND STRENGTHEN CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE NORTH ....................................................... 37 6.1 Increasing the activities of the Coast Guard .................................................................................. 38 6.2 Further developing border control ................................................................................................... 38 6.3 Further developing civilian border surveillance and control................................................... 39 6.4 Strengthening competence-building cooperation..................................................................... 40 6.5 Developing cultural cooperation....................................................................................................... 41 7. SAFEGUARDING THE CULTURES AND LIVELIHOODS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES .............................. 42 7.1 Documenting traditional Sami knowledge ................................................................................... 43 7.2 Establishing a programme for cultural