It is our duty to ensure that the abundant natural resources of the Arctic are exploited in a responsible way. Renewable natural resources must both provide the basis for increased economic activity and remain available for future generations. Effective environmental protection and efficient management are key issues. Natural resources on land, at sea, in the air and in the ice must be monitored and studied. The movement and influence of air currents and drift ice must be mapped and understood.
Specialist knowledge is required in many fields.
Svalbard is the most easily accessible area of land in the high Arctic. Good accessibility and a well developed infrastructure make Svalbard an ideal research platform in an exotic natural laboratory. The Barents Sea on the borders of the Arctic Ocean is one of Europe's most significant larders and is critically important for the Norwegian economy. The floor beneath this sea contains considerable deposits of coal, minerals, oil and gas. This ice extends from the continent out over the sea in all directions forming a girdle called the ice shelf or barrier .