WWF Russia expressed its support to Norwegian scientists and ecologists who advocate expanding the boundaries of the marginal ice zone in the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea and banning oil and gas exploration in it.
These days, Norwegian politicians are discussing amendments to the resource management system in the Barents Sea. The discussion focuses on determining the boundaries of the marginal ice zone, as well as whether marine activities that are permissible there.
“We express our support to Norwegian scientists and ecologists who advocate expanding the boundaries of the unique territory and banning dangerous oil and gas projects in it,” said Alexey Knizhnikov, WWF Russia’s environmental business responsibility program manager. - The opinion of Russian environmentalists should be heard by the Norwegian government, because it is about preserving our common species, such as the Atlantic walrus, polar bear, narwhal and others. It is important to consider not only the economic interests of the parties, decisions must be made taking into account risks to nature, and with an understanding of the importance of preserving habitats of rare species in a transboundary context.”
Marginal ice zone is the area where arctic sea ice meets the open ocean. It is a site rich in phyto- and zooplankton and provides food for many Arctic animals, which is why it is also called the “Arctic life line”. The ice edge zone is crucial for the conservation of bowhead whales, a species that was almost completely extinct due to whaling.
Despite this, due to the melting of glaciers, the sea zone is expanding and attracting an increasing number of oil companies. At the same time, the risks of oil spills are still great, which can lead to the collapse of the Arctic ecosystem. Effective ways to eliminate large oil spills in ice conditions have not yet been found.
Seismic testing in oil exploration also poses problems for whales that use sonar for navigation, communication between individuals and feeding.
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