The Arctic region of the globe is heating up, both climate-wise and politically. The connection between these elements is crucial in order to understand the current situation and to begin alleviating the problems they have recently borne.
Home to the coldest place on Earth with permanent residents, the Arctic is nonetheless displaying shocking evidence of warming, including melting of its polar ice caps and great glaciers at a rate which will cause significant sea rise south. Recently, for the first time, there was evidence of rain above the Arctic Circle rather than snow. Overall, warming in the Arctic area is occurring three times faster than elsewhere around the globe, according to scientists, an ominous sign.
Before the establishment of the Arctic Council in 1996 — which brought together nations comprising the Arctic region — the most relevant interest in the area came from America and the Soviet Union, whose Cold War utilized the area for air defenses. But subsequently, four of the AC nations — Canada, Denmark, Iceland and Norway — joined the U.S. and Russian Federation in staking separate territorial claims. Making matters worse, there are several instances of disputed claims between these nations.
One reason for the aforementioned jockeying is certainly economic: With the Arctic Ocean becoming more accessible for navigation, fishing and energy exploration have become more prominent and profitable.
The Arctic area contains 13% of oil and 30% of natural gas deposits globally. Further, there are a variety of mineral resources, which nations in the area are seeking to monopolize. Meanwhile, China has invested in the region and has assisted Greenland with multiple airport projects. The prospect of overfishing, unregulated drilling and ignoring of environmental issues has upset indigenous cultures.
The Russian Federation and America plan to retain their respective military presence in the Arctic area; U.S. authorities just announced plans to upgrade both the North American Air Defense (NORAD) and Distant Early Warning systems there. However, China is also poised for a military buildup in the Arctic, with its first temporary bases being surveyed.
The claims and disagreements involving countries having a stake in the Arctic area have taken their toll over the last decade. For example, the Arctic Chiefs of Defense group was suspended in 2014. In 2019, the Arctic Council was unable to agree on a common declaration for the first time.
Clearly, the eventual greening of a once-frozen landscape could have devastating consequences for the region and world. In the short term, more cooperation between Arctic nations will prevent division in political and economic policies. For the long haul, there must be a mutual commitment to reversing global warming’s effects in the Arctic and elsewhere.
Dr. Samuel B. Hoff is a George Washington Distinguished Professor Emeritus of history and political science at Delaware State University. He thanks his Global Societies class for the inspiration to write this article. The topic is one of several highlighted in the 2021 Great Decisions series by the Foreign Policy Association.
