Where is Svalbard?
Norwegian territory located between Norway and the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean
What is the population of Svalbard?
2,700 people
What is the average temperature of Svalbard in the Winter?
-13 to -20 degrees centigrade
What is the average temperature of Svalbard in the Summer?
3 to 7 degrees centigrade
What are the four industries in Svalbard?
Mineral extraction
Energy
Fishing
Tourism
What are the opportunities for development - Mineral Extraction
Svalbard has large coal reserves which have been mined through the 20th century
Coal mining was the main economic activity on the island providing over 300 jobs
However following the opening of a new mine in Svea in 2014 the majority of coal mines stopped due to a drop in the price of coal
Only one mine now operates in the whole of Svalbard providing coal to the power plant
What are the opportunities for development - Energy
Currently the majority of Svabard’s power is provided through burning coal
Svalbard is now investigating moving to geothermal energy which would be much more environmentally friendly
Svalbard is close to the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a constructive plate margin where the earths crust is thin so hot rocks are close to the surface
What are the opportunities for development - Fishing
The Arctic seas that surround Svalbard are rich in marine life
In the Barents sea there are over 150 species of fish including herring, haddock and the largest stock of cod in the world
Fishing in Svalbard has an opportunity to be a major economic activity, allowing the island to trade fish with other countries
These waters need protecting from pollution as they are important breeding grounds for fish stocks so cannot be over-fished
What are the opportunities for development - Tourism
- Extreme tourism in Svalbard has grown popular in recent years
- People choose to come to Svalbard including unique wildlife such as polar bears and whales, glacier walks, views of the Northern Lights
- Svalbard can also cater for extreme activities such as snowmobiling, dog sledding, skiing and snowboarding
- Around 30,000 people stay in Svalbard every year with a similar number visiting on Cruise ships
- The port was extended in 2010 to cope with the increase in tourism with most people travelling from Norway on organised tours
- Tourism employees around 300 people in Svalbard although the pay is low and seasonal
What are the challenges to development - Extreme Temperature
- Winter temperatures frequently fall below -20 degrees centigrade
- Daylight hours are very short in winter and some months are in darkness 24/7
- This makes day to day living very challenging. People have to wear multiple layers of clothing which makes movement difficult especially in jobs like construction
- Extreme temperatures make growing food almost impossible so the majority of food has to be imported
What are the challenges to development - Accessibility
- Many areas of Svalbard are inaccessible due to its remote location and climate
- Svalbard can only be reached by plane from Russia or Norway or boat (but not in winter). This makes the transport of goods challenging and expensive and travel for residents difficult
- Transport around Svalbard is equally difficult with only 50km of road in Longyearbyen and no other communities connected by roads. This means people have to travel by boat in the summer or snowmobiles in winter
- Mountains, glaciers and fjords cover much of the landscape making it completely inaccessible and limits development opportunities
What are the challenges to development - Construction and Infrastructure
- Construction, maintaining buildings and providing utilities like heating and water all create unique challenges
- The ground in Svalbard is mainly permafrost, permanently frozen ground. Historically this has provided solid foundations for construction with wooden poles hammered into the ground or houses built on wooden stacks
- Climate change is increasing the temperatures in Svalbard which means the permafrost is thawing. This makes the ground unstable and houses are sinking The lack of solid foundations is causing houses to sag into the ground
- Due to the warming climate 10% of Longyearbyen’s population has been forced to evacuate due to the risk of avalanches and many areas are now unsafe to live in
- All pipes carrying water and sewage are raised above the ground to prevent freezing. Water is heated before it enters homes to stop water freezing
