Leave it in the ground: Arctic resources should stay where they are

The Arctic region is facing down a mineral and fossil fuel exploration and extraction bonanza. If these plans go ahead, they will have devastating impacts on Indigenous and local communities, pristine Arctic ecosystems, and the global climate. As a concept, “extractivism” has gained attention recently as mining and mineral exploration companies eye frontiers that were once inaccessible: the ocean seabed, the marine offshore, areas of the high north and more. In the coming years, the Arctic will only continue to attract more industrial development and it is important to find a balance between creating jobs and protecting natural environments. Ensuring that governments step up and phase out fossil fuels will be critical to the Arctic’s future—and the world’s. This issue of The Circle explores the implications of extracting resources–oil, gas, minerals and more–from the Arctic, what this means for communities and renewable energy in the region.

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