Commentary

On this page we feature the most recent of our writings and presentations. Please check the archives to the left for older publications.

May 21, 2008 presentation by Managing Director Ben Ellis:

at University of Washington

Seattle, Washington

Cold Rush: Arctic Energy (pdf format)

March 2008 report:  AMSA Scenario Narratives

The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment, a major project of the Arctic Council under the Protection of Marine Environment (PAME) working group, is a direct follow-up to the Arctic Marine Strategic Plan and the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, two key Arctic Council reports. The assessment is intended to provide a baseline data of shipping activity in the Arctic for 2004, potential scenarios concerning Arctic shipping for 2020 and 2050, as well as other critical information.

In April, the Institute helped support a scenario creation exercise under the direction of the Global Business Network, the world's foremost scenario consultancy based in San Francisco. Scenarios do not claim to be predictions. The point is not to gather evidence for some induction about a most probable future. The point is rather to explore and understand more deeply a number of different possibilities in order to make better reasoned choices among them. The product generated by this workshop will be incorporated into the AMSA.

AMSA Scenario Narratives (pdf format)

 

March 16, 2008 article:

TransCanada plan isn't best for state

Exclusive to the Anchorage Daily News by Governor Walter J. Hickel

 

February 22, 2008 presentation by Research Specialist Kristina Baiborodova and Managing Director Ben Ellis:

at the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the Northern Sea Route

St. Petersburg, Russia

Observations from the Arctic Energy Summit and Development of the Arctic Energy Action Team

(PowerPoint in PDF format)

February 18, 2008 report:

An analysis of the voting record of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) shows that its members consistently followed the recommendations of marine biologists in supporting actions that imposed constraints on the groundfish fisheries for purposes of conservation.  That conclusion is made in a report detailing a retrospective analysis that examined the voting record of the NPFMC from 1994 to 2006.

Press release: 

Study shows fishery council follows scientific recommendations

 

Report:

Conflict of Interest Standards & Regional Fishery Management Councils:

An evaluation of the North Pacific Council's voting record on conservation issues