Thomas Nilsen

Svalbard: Colder than normal for the first time in 10 years

Not since November 2011 has Svalbard had a monthly average temperature colder than normal.
April 02, 2020

The start of Svalbard’s cruise season is canceled

2020 was the year when many new-built luxury polar classed cruise ships were supposed to bring wealthy tourists to the Arctic. The start of the season couldn’t be worse.
April 02, 2020

After futile drillings, Norway excludes Barents Sea in proposal for new oil blocks

The oil industry’s dream about a new oil province in the European Arctic seems to dissolve after years of unsuccessful test-drillings.
April 01, 2020

Heavy snowfall, strong wind and coronavirus isolate northernmost Norway

No spring in the north: European route E6 to Finnmark is closed due to snowy storms and alternative drive through Finland is not allowed with closed borders.
March 31, 2020

Arctic wilderness tourism hit especially hard by the coronavirus

Trine Baddari and her family spent years building the BIRK husky as a successful wilderness brand in the Pasvik valley. Coronavirus puts its future at stake.
March 31, 2020

Norwegian cancels April flights to northernmost Scandinavia

Low-cost airline Norwegian says coronavirus disrupts demand for tickets and stops flying to Umeå, Luleå, Alta and Kirkenes.
March 31, 2020

Limited entrance to six towns on the Kola Peninsula

Murmansk authorities take new strict measures to limit the spread of coronavirus.
March 30, 2020

Climate refugees: Kittiwakes flee bird cliffs to resettle in urban spaces

For humans they are noisy and messy neighbours, but they come for a reason. Stronger storms and wilder weather by the coast give fewer surviving chicks in their natural bird cliff habitat.
March 29, 2020

Gates closing at Russia's borders

Russia closes all its borders from March 30 in an attempt to curb the coronavirus.
March 28, 2020

Entire crew of nuclear submarine in coronavirus quarantine

A civilian who went onboard the cruise-missile carrier “Orel” had met with a man who tested positive to the coronavirus.
March 28, 2020

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Thomas Nilsen is editor of the Independent Barents Observer with its news desk located in Kirkenes, northern Norway. He has a long experience in media cooperation across the borders in the high north of Europe, both as radio- and newspaper reporter all the way back to the days before the breakup of the Soviet Union. 

Nilsen has been editor of Barents Observer since 2009.

He was Deputy Head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat from 2004-2009. Until 2003, he worked 12 years for the Bellona Foundation’s Russian study group, focusing on nuclear safety issues and general environmental challenges in northern areas and the Arctic. 

Thomas has been traveling extensively across northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and organizations. He is also a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security issues, environmental and socio-economic development.

Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mobile: +47-90573143

thomas@thebarentsobserver.com
@nilsen.thomas