2600 inhabitants is more than enough.
In May next year, the Svalbard report will be released, in which the Norwegian authorities describe their strategy for the archipelago in the Arctic. But now the government is sending two important signals:
The population in the archipelago is too large and can no longer grow, in addition, the population must have a higher percentage of Norwegian citizens.
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– Longyearbyen will no longer grow, says Secretary of State John-Erik Vika (Sp) at the Ministry of Justice to Klassekampen.
The main goal of Svalbard's policy is to maintain peace and stability in the archipelago. But despite the fact that the Norwegian authorities have long set themselves the goal of containing increase in numbers population, more permanent residents continued to arrive in the archipelago.
Vika points out that Svalbard's population today is record-breaking – 2600 people from 50 countries. The percentage of foreigners is about one-third and growing.
“We care more about quality than quantity,” says the secretary of state.
The State Secretary's statement seems to indicate that the Svalbard authorities are not interested in increasing the number of inhabitants. Rather, they focus on the quality of life on the island. It is possible that such a policy is aimed at protecting the natural environment, which is exposed to various threats related to the development of the tourism and satellite industries.
The current situation in Svalbard is the result of many factors. These include climate change, which has affected the melting of glaciers and changed the landscape of the island, and the growing number of tourists who are interested in the beauty and unique character of this place. At the same time, the ending activity in mines caused the need to develop new areas of the economy.
In the context of the increasing number of foreigners in Svalbard, it is important to maintain a balance between environmental protection and the needs of residents and tourists. The authorities must ensure that the development of tourism and other sectors of the economy does not negatively affect the island's ecosystem and the lives of its inhabitants. At the same time, they must ensure a good quality of life and development conditions for those who already live in Svalbard.
