If you have ever been up in the arctic, its a difficult environment. When your car breaks down it, you just leave it there. Imagine the massive military might that was up there. All along these islands, you see it. Military all over the place. They have announced projects to clean some of these spaces. Its going to take a long time. They are doing it. They created more preserves and sanctuaries and so forth. In that sense, its not like russia ignores the environment entirely. Really the soviet tradition. Easier to create National Parks that are protected from any kind of human activity. Territory. Huge it it is free of charge. The decision does not tackle the big issues, but there are some initiatives in terms of waste from the soviet system. Modest. Ry theireel pressure by issues globally. , i dont think nato can be a solution in the arctic. Cooperation,of russia is cooperating with japanese and korean. Korea is becoming very active. The three Asian Countries plus russia have fishing tension in the northern passes. There are a lot of things going on. There are tensions between four countries. The big question is if they want to turn more to asia without , they need tona put japan in the picture. I think that is one of the big issues that Vladimir Putin is following closely. He still has to make a decision. A you dont want to be in frame with china, you need to be something with japan. Weed tried to explore that as a way of that softer side to keep dialogue going. The practical challenges, because of the ngo law and the Foreign Agent requirement, its an anathema to have a western scientist or academic context. That is just a practical issue that is going to make scientific cooperation or difficult. It is occurring at the arctic council. I think the hope for doing some larger efforts, if you remember in the 90s, we were sending a lot of western assistance to clean up the radioactive units still left behind. That doesnt exist. I think thats an area where we need to do some more exploration. It has run into some Practical Applications are in it article five extends to the arctic. Nato has no formal role. Agree, its not going to be a vehicle right now to bring in that type of cooperation. There should be no misunderstanding the treaty obligations to extend to the arctic. I think it has been interesting watching the asian dimension to the arctic. When they joined as observer states to the arctic council, although observers are trying to figure out their way. They want to be more involved. There are great commercial interests. The Asian Technology is fantastic. There is a lack of understanding about the arctic. I think that will evolve over time. Because there has been this five,n between the arctic there are tensions between the five and the three. Now you have 12 observer countries, let alone nongovernmental organizations. The arctic table is getting very big and that is crowding out voices of the region, particularly the indigenous. Watch that space. You can see were the arctic is a more global discussion topic. There is resistance because the coastal states, this fishing agreement was for the central arctic during there are no fish. It was a proactive diplomacy to say we need more science. That was at five. There was controversy. There was tension, why wasnt iceland included in that . These issues are going to have challenging dimensions in the future. I think were going to take one more rapid round and let the panelists conclude. There is one question at the top. Good morning. As we are watching the russian economy declining and the oil thees projected to stay in 2020,60 corridor into that raises serious questions about the profitability of any russian oil and gas projects in the art. Arctic. Viable, why are not on earth would you spend aliens of dollars if you were in moscow . Why did you spend this money, shoring up the arctic . I understand that these are great projects. Looking into the future, looking at shale in siberia that would andheaper or the u. S. Continental north america and other places, iran coming online and iraq pacified and producing more oil and gas, why would you even bother . One more question in the front and we will conclude. I am from Energy Intelligence and i havent Energy Related question. You talked about how the sanctions on the russian oil and gas sector were viewed, can you speak as to how the american Arctic Drilling program is viewed . Those are both great questions. I would say you could ask shell the same question. They put 7 billion into the field. Oil is 40. Its not going to be profitable at that level. They are looking ahead. I think the russians are doing the same thing. Is so much oil and gas up there. On the assumption that we consume to assume natural resources, that will be a question. Notquestion is whether or you can wean yourself off oil and gas that would make drilling up there not necessary. Can that happen . I am not an oil expert. I do not know. Some people would like to see that happen. You would have to rethink the amount of money that you are investing. It was a big project. The town i went to was because the terminal was going to be there. They built a road through town with all of this infrastructure. Then the market chained and its not going to be built anytime soon. Vladimir putin says its for the next generation. Theuncertainty that both Economic Situation and the climate situation is partly why you see the investments continuing, but less vigorously now. A lot of them are put on hold. Not just in russia, but other parts of the arctic. Shell is pressing ahead. I think they will make a decision based on what they find the summer. You might see that project also go on the shelf for a while. Issue,ink thats a big the investment is based on something that is unrealistic. Interesto much russian to have china financing that or trying to sell to china. Market, you can look to asia and still sell. The russian projects should try that. The point for russia is more complicated. That is the point. It is just the extraction of metal. Copperprice of nickel, collapses, that impacts the infrastructure. That is a big issue. Not only are they looking at oil and gas, but the market of minerals. The ability to maintain that population in the arctic that is marketsith the mineral globally than to the oil and gas sector. We call it the arctic and xp the president s visit is a perfect example. He is traveling to anchorage. Mitigateo try to climate change. Shell is doing exploratory wells that the restriction agreed to and are anticipating extending more leases. Thats the paradox that you have. Steve is right. Its because the reserves are extraordinary. These Development Horizons are 40 years out. That may eventually go up. These are very longterm strategies. I am going to be fascinated and i hope we do some public discussions about this after they havehearing what to say. They have been very candid about going forward. The coast guard goes up there seasonally. Thats when we have a presence. That is our infrastructure. Its only seasonal. We are not thinking about a longterm development and for the american and arctic. We dont have the aspirational vision that the russian government has on its economic development. If there is an accident, it will be on the american side. Thats what we have to prepare for. This has been a fantastic conversation. After two years, this report is like a birthing process. I feel like the baby is out. We have nurtured this for a while. We hope you will read it. Its online. We hope it stimulates further conversation. Tovery special thanks caroline, who has been instrumental in developing this. This is her last week with us. That applauseare with her as she leaves for greater adventures. Thank you. [applause] thank you for joining us. Have a great day. On saturdays program, archival footage from the hurricane 10 years ago. Washington journal is live each day at 7 00 time. This sunday, the u. S. Counter insurgency in afghanistan. There were improvements in security. It depends on how it ends. I interrogate myself. We dont know how it will end. Everything may collapse. Its possible that five years down the road, we will be back in a new civil war in afghanistan. Worse than the taliban. They are deeply entrenched and hardly defeated. If we wind up in a new civil war in afghanistan, if there are new safe havens for isis and the taliban, i would say it was not worth it. Easterny night at 8 00 and pacific. Yesterday, president obama mark the 10 Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by visiting new orleans. He spoke at a committee center. This is 45 minutes. [applause] pres. Obama everybody have a seat. Hello everybody. Where you at . Its good to be back in the big easy. [applause] and this is the weather in august all the time, right . [laughter] as soon as i land in new orleans, the first thing i do is get hungry. [laughter] when i was here with the family i had some food at the parkway bakery. I still remember it, how good it was. One day after i leave office, maybe i will finally hear a rebirth of the maple leaf on tuesday night. [laughter] i will get a chance to see the mardi gras, and tell me what carnival is for. But right now i just go to meetings. I want to thank michelle for the introduction, and more importantly for the great work she is doing, what she symbolizes, what she represents in terms of bouncing back. I want to acknowledge the great friend and someone who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the city. He is following a family legacy of service. Your mayor, Mitch Landrieu. [applause] his beautiful wife. Senator bill cassidy is here. There is he. Congressman cedric richmond. [applause] we have a lifelong champion of louisiana, Mary Landrieu in the house. [applause] i want to acknowledge a great supporter to the efforts to recover and rebuild, congressman Hakeem Jeffries of new york. He has traveled down here with us. To all the elected officials from louisiana and mississippi who are here today, thank you so much for your reception. I am here to talk about a specific recovery. But before i begin to talk just about new orleans, i want to talk about america for just a minute. Take a moment of president ial privilege to talk about what has been happening in our economy. This morning we learned our economy grew at a stronger and more robust clip back in the spring than anybody knew at the time. The data always lags. We knew that over the past five and a half years, our businesses have created 30 million new jobs. 13 million new jobs. [applause] these new numbers that came out, showing how the economy was growing at a 3. 7 clip means that the u. S. Remains an anchor of global strength and stability in the world. That we have recovered faster, more steadily, stronger, then than just about any economy since the worst financial crisis since the great depression. Its important for us to remember that strength. I spent a few weeks around the world. It has been a volatile week around the world. There has been a lot of reported in the news about stock market swinging, worries about china and europe. The United States of america, for all the challenges that we still have, continue to have the best cards. We just have to play them right. Our economy has been moving and continues to grow. Unemployment continues to come down. Our work is not yet done, but we have to have that sense of andteadiness and vision purpose to sustain this were economy this economy so that it does not reach only some. That is why we need to do everything we can in government to make sure our economy keeps growing. That requires congress to protect our momentum, not kill it. Congress is about to come back on a sixweek recess. The deadline to fund the government is, as always, the end of september. I want everybody to understand that congress has about a month to pass a budget that helps our economy grow. Otherwise we risk shutting down the government and services we all caps on it for the second time in two years. That would not be responsible. It does not have to happen. Congress needs to fund america in a way that is best for growth insecurity, and not cut us off at the knees by locking in mindless austerity or shortsighted sequester cuts to our economy were military. I will veto a budget like that, and most americans will agree. We have to invest in, rather than cut military readiness, infrastructure, schools, public health, research and develop it that keeps our companies on the cutting edge. That is what great nations do. That is what great nations do. [applause] and eventually were going to do it anyway, so lets just do it without another round of threats to shut down the government. Lets not introduce partisan issues. Nobody gets to hold the American Economy hostage over their own ideological demands. You, the people that sent us to washington, expect better, am i correct . [applause] my message to congress is, pass a budget, prevent a shutdown, dont wait till the last minute. Dont worry our businesses or workers by contributing unnecessarily to uncertainty. Get it done. Now, thats a process of National Recovery that from coast to coast, we have been going through. There has been a pacific a specific process of recovery that is perhaps unique in my lifetime. Right here in the state of louisiana, right here in new orleans. [applause] not long ago, our gathering here in the lower nine would have seemed unlikely. As i was flying here today with a home girl from louisiana. She saved all the magazines, and she was whipping them out. One was a picture of the lower ninths right after the storms. The notion that they are getting left seemed unimaginable at the time. Today, this new Community Center stands as a symbol of the extraordinary resilience of this city. The extraordinary resilience of its people. The extraordinary resilience of the entire gulf coast and of the United States of america. You are an example of what is possible, when in the face of tragedy and hardship, good people come together. To lend a hand. Brick by brick, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, you build a better future. That, more than any other reason, is why i have come back here today. Plus Mitch Landrieu asked me to. [laughter] it has been 10 years since katrina hit. Devastating communities in louisiana and mississippi across the gulf coast. In the days following landfall, more than 1800 of our fellow citizens, men, women, and children lost their lives. Some of the folks in this room may have lost a loved one in that storm. Thousands of people saw their homes destroyed. Livelihoods wiped out. Hopes and dreams shattered. Many scattered in an exodus to cities across the country. And too many still havent returned. Those who stayed and lived through that epic struggle still feel the trauma sometimes. A woman from a gentilly recently wrote me, a deep part of the whole story is the grief. There was grief then, and there is still some grief in our hearts. Here in new orleans, a city that embodies a celebration of life suddenly seems devoid of life. The place once defined by color and sound, the second line down the street, the backyards, the music always in the air, suddenly it was dark and silent. The world watched in horror. They saw those rising waters drown the iconic streets of new orleans. Families stranded on rooftops. Bodies in the streets. Children crying, crowded in the superdome. An American City dark and underwater. This was something that was supposed to never happen here. Maybe someplace else, but never hear, never in america. What started out as a Natural Disaster became a manmade disaster. A failure of government to look out for its own citizens. And the storm laid bare a deeper tragedy that had been brewing for decades. We came to understand that new orleans, like so many cities and committees across the country, had for too long been plagued by structural inequalities that left too many people, especially poor people, especially people color without health care or decent housing. Too many kids grew up with violent crime, cycling through substandard schools, making it harder to break out of poverty. Like a body weakened, already undernourished, when the storm hit, there was no resources to fall back on. Shortly after the storm i visited with folks not here because we couldnt distract Recovery Efforts instead i visited folks in a shelter in houston, many folks who had been displaced. One woman told me, we have nothing before the hurricane, and now we have less than nothing. We had nothing before the hurricane, now we have less than nothing. We acknowledge this loss and this pain. Not to dwell on the past. Not to wallow in grief. We do it to fortify our commitment and to bolster our hope. To understand what it is we have learned and how far we have come. Because this is a city that slowly, unmistakably, together is moving forward. The project of building wasnt rebuild the city as it had been, but to build it as it should be. A city, where no matter what how much money you have, where you come from, whether rich or poor, has a chance to make it. I am here to say that on that larger project, a better, stronger, more just new orleans. The progress you have made is remarkable. [applause] thats not to say things are perfect. Mitch would be the first one to say that. We know that africanamericans and folks in hardhit parishes like st. Bernard are less likely to feel like theyve recovered. Certainly we know violence stifles the lives of so many youth in this city. As hard as rebuilding levees are, as hard as i agree with that. I will get to that. As hard as rebuilding levees are, as hard as rebuilding housing is, we need a lasting, structural change. That is even harder. It takes courage to experiment with new ideas and change the old ways of doing things. That is hard. Getting it right and making sure that everybody is included. And that everybody has a fair shot back success. That takes time. That is not unique to new orleans. We have those challenges all across the country. But i am here to say, here to hold up a mirror and say, because of you, the people of new orleans working together, this city is moving in the right direction. And i have never been more confident that together, we will get to where we need to go. You inspire me. [applause] your efforts inspire me. And no matter how hard it has been, and how long the road ahead might seem, you are working and building and striving for a better tomorrow. I see evidence of it all across this city. And by the way, along the way, the people of new orleans didnt just inspire me, you inspired all of america. Folks have been watching what has happened here. And they have seen a reflection of the very best of the american spirit. As president , i have been proud to be your partner. Across the board, i made the recovery and rebuilding of the gulf coast a priority. I made promises when i was a senator that i would help. And ive kept those promises. [applause] were cutting red tape to help you build back and stronger. We are taking the lessons we have learned here and applied them across the country, including places like new york and new jersey from hurricane sandy. If katrina was initially an example of what happens when government fails, the recovery has been an example of what is possible when Government Works together. State, local, community. [applause] everybody working together as partners. Together, we have delivered resources that help louisiana, mississippi, alabama and florida rebuild schools and hospitals, roads, police and fire stations, restore Historic Buildings and museums. And were building smarter. Doing everything from elevating homes to retrofitting buildings, to improving drainage. So that our communities are prepared for the next storm. Working together, we have transformed education in this city. Before the storm, new orleans Public Schools were largely broken. Generations of low income kids had no decent education. Today, educators, school leaders, nonprofits we are seeing real gains in achievement with new schools, more resources to retain and support Great Teachers and principals. We have data that shows for the storm, High School Graduation rate was 54 . Today it is up to 73 . [applause] before the storm, College Enrollment with 37 . Today it is almost 60 . [applause] we still have a long way to go, but that is real progress. New orleans is coming back better and stronger. Working together, we are providing Housing Assistance to more families today than before the storm. With new apartment and housing vouchers. We will keep working until everybody that wants to come home can come home. [applause] together, we are building a new orleans that is entrepreneurial as any place in the country, with a focus on expanding jobs and making sure that more people benefit from a growing economy. We are creating jobs to rebuild the citys transportation infrastructure. Expanding trading programs for hightech manufacturing, but also Water Management. We could use some good Water Management around here. We want to make sure everybody has access to those good, wellpaying jobs. Small businesses, like michelles are growing. Small businesses like hers are helping to fuel 65 straight months of privatesector job growth in america. That is the longest streak in american history. [applause] together, we are doing more to make sure that everyone in this video has access to great health care. That everyone in this city has access to great health care. Access to neighborhood clinics so that people can get Preventative Care they need. We are building a new Va Medical Center downtown alongside a Biomedical Sciences quarter that is attracting jobs and investment. We are working to make sure that we have Additional Mental Health facilities across the city and across the country. And more people have access to quality, Affordable Health care. More than 60 million americans have gained Health Insurance over the past few years. [applause] all of this progress is a result of the commitment and drive of the people of this region. I saw that spirit today. Mitch and i started Walking Around a bit. Such a nice day outside. We went to trim a and saw returning residents in brandnew homes, mixed income. New homes near schools and clinics and parks. Childcare centers. More opportunities for working families. We saw that spirit today at willie mays scotts house. After trina had destroyed that; legendary restaurant. Some of the best chefs in the country decided that america cannot afford to lose such a place. They came down here to help. They helped rebuild. I just sampled some of her fried chicken. It was really good. [laughter] although i did get a grease spot on my suit. But thats ok. If you come to new orleans and you dont have a grease spot somewhere [laughter] then you didnt enjoy the city. [applause] just glad i didnt get it on my tie. We all just heard that spirit of new orleans and the remarkable young people from roots of music. [applause] when the storm washed away a lot of middle school music programs, roots of music help fill that gap. It is building the next generation of musical talent. The next trombone shorty, or the next dr. John. The wonderful men i met earlier, who focused on reducing the number of murders in the city of new orleans. [applause] there is a program that works the white house, my brothers keeper initiative, to make sure that all young people, particularly boys and young men of color who so just fortunately are impacted who so disproportionately are impacted by crime and violence. They have the opportunity to fill their full potential. In fact, after the storm, this city became a laboratory for urban innovation across the board. We have been tackling, with you, as a partner, all sorts of major challenges. Fighting poverty, supporting homeless veterans. And as a result, new orleans has become a model for the nation as the first city, the first major city to and veteran to end veterans homelessness. [applause] which is a remarkable achievement. You are also becoming a model for the nation and it comes to Disaster Response and resilience. We learned lessons from katrina. The u. S. Army corps of engineers learned more stricter standards for levees. In the louisiana, we built a 14 billion system of levees and pump stations and gates. A system that stood the test of hurricanes past. I have to say, there is a man named craig that runs fema. His team of across the country have done extraordinary work. I love me some craig. [laughter] he gets excited when there are disasters. He gets restless if everything is just quiet. [laughter] but under his leadership, we revamped fema into a stronger and more efficient agency. In fact, the whole federal government has gotten smarter at recovering in preventing disasters. And serving as a better partner to local and state governments. And as ill talk about next week when i visit alaska, making our communities more resilient is going to be increasingly important. Because we are going to see more extreme weather events as a result of climate change. Deadlier wildfires, stronger storms. That is why in addition to things like new and better levees, we have also been investing in restoring Natural Systems that are just as critical for storm protection. We have made a lot of progress over the past 10 years. You have made a lot of progress. That gives us hope. But it doesnt allow for complacency. It doesnt mean we can rest. Our work here wont be done when almost 40 of children still live in poverty in this region. That is not a finished job. That is not a full recovery. Our work will be done when a typical black household earns half the income as a typical white household. The work is not done yet. [applause] our work is not done when there are still too many people who have yet to find a good, affordable housing. And too many people, especially africanamerican men, who cant find a job. Not when there are still too many people who have not been able to come back home. Folks who, around the country every day, live the words sung by louis armstrong, do you know what it means to miss new orleans . But the thing is, the people of new orleans there is something in you guys that is irrepressible. You have a way of making a way out of no way. You know that the sun comes out after every storm. Youve got hope. Especially your young people reflect hope. Young people like victor carter. Stand up, victor. I was just talking to him. I had lunch with him. He is a fine young man i just met with. [applause] stand up everybody. These are the guys who i ate chicken with. [applause] really impressive. They have overcome more than their fair share of challenges. But are still focused on the future. I dont want you to start getting embarrassed. [laughter] ill just give you one example. Victor grew up in the eighth ward. He loved math. He was 13 when katrina hit. He remembers waking up to what looked like some thing out of a disaster movie. He was around the city, towing his brother in a trashcan to keep afloat. They fled to texas. When they returned, the city was almost unrecognizable. Victor saw those trying to cope. Many of them still, ties and their lives disorganized. He joined an organization to get more involved. Recently, he finished a coding boot camp. He wants to interviews more people to science and civics so they have the tools to change the world. So victor and these young men i just met with have overcome extraordinary odds. They have lived through most than more than us will ever have to endure. They have made [applause] president obama they have made some mistakes along the way. But for all that they have been through, they have been just as determined to improve their own lives, to take responsibility for themselves, but also to see if they can help others along the way. So when i talk to young men like them, that gives me hope. It is still hard. I told them they cannot get down on themselves. Tough stuff will happen along the way. But if they have come this far, they can keep on going, and americans like you [applause] president obama the people of new orleans, young men like this, you are what recovery has been all about. You are why i am confident that we can recover from crises and start moving forward. You have helped this country recover from a crisis. You are the reason 13 million new jobs have been created, you are the reason that layoffs are near an alltime low, you are the reason the uninsured rate is at an alltime low and the High School Graduation rate is an alltime high and the deficit has been cut, and nearly 180,000 troops serving in iraq and afghanistan have now gone down to 15,000, and a Clean Energy Revolution is helping to save this planet. You are the why people have the freedom to marry whoever they love from sea to shining sea. You know, i tell you [applause] president obama we are moving into the next president ial cycle, in the next political season, and you will hear a lot of people telling you everything that is wrong with america. And that is ok. That is a proper part of our democracy. One of the things about america is we are never satisfied. We keep pushing forward. We keep asking questions. We keep challenging our government. We keep challenging our leaders. We keep looking for the next set of challenges to tackle. We find what is wrong because we have confidence we can fix it. But it is important we remember what is right and what is good and what is hopeful about this country. It is worth remembering that for all the tragedy, for all the images of katrina in those first few days, those first few months, look at what has happened here. It is worth remembering that thousand of americans like michelle and victor and ms. Mae and the folks who rallied around her. Americans all across this country who, when they saw neighbors and friends or strangers in need, came out and people who today still spend their time every day helping us, rolling up their sleeves, doing the hard work of changing this country, without the need for credit or the need for glory. Do not get their name in the papers, do not see their day in the sun. They do it because it is right. These americans live the basic values that define this country, a value that we have been reminded of in these past 10 years as we come back from a crisis that changed the city and an economic crisis that spread throughout the nation, the basic notion that i am my brothers keeper and i am my sisters keeper and we are in this together. That is the story of new orleans, but also the story of america, a city that for almost 300 years has been the gateway to americas soul, where the jazz makes you cry, the funerals make you dance, the bayou makes you believe all kinds of things [laughter] president obama a place that has brought together all kinds of people of races and religions and languages and everybody adds their culture and flavor into the city gumbo. You remind our nation that for all of our differences, we are in the same boat, we all share a similar destiny. If we stay focused on that, on that common purpose, and also responsibility and obligation to one another, we will not just rebuild this city, we will rebuild this country. We will make sure not just these young men, but every child in america has a structure and support and love and the kind of nurturing that they need to succeed. We will leave behind a city and a nation that is worthy of generations to come. That is what you have got to start with. Now we have got to finish the job. Thank you. God bless you. God bless america. Thank you. Washington journal is next. Dnc members will hear from president ial candidates. We will discuss the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with the National Urban league president. Then the army corps of engineers. 1 3 of americans are gunowners and theres estimated to be over 300 million guns and private hands in american society, about 12,000 people were killed by guns in 2014. This first segment of want toton journal we talk to gun owners only. We want to hear from you, what do you see as a solution to prevent gun violence