A Dark Slick in the White, White Arctic
How shipping on the Northern Sea Route in an era of climate crisis could turn into environmental disaster As sea ice rapidly melts, the Arctic is seeing a rush of cargo ships, fishing vessels, and tourists. Russia views the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as a key transport corridor to cement its influence in the region. Over the next three years, Moscow is pouring 138 billion rubles into the NSR’s development—roughly equivalent to the country’s annual spending on cancer treatment.