Why Arctic?
The Arctic, the polar region at the northernmost part of the Earth, plays a vital role—alongside the Antarctic—in shaping global weather patterns and jet streams. Beyond its environmental and climatic importance, the Arctic holds significant economic and geopolitical value.
According to estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Arctic contains around 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil reserves—approximately 90 billion barrels—and 30% of its untapped natural gas (USGS, 2023). The same report suggests the potential to extract 1.5 million tons of valuable minerals such as zinc, copper, and lead. Additionally, the region is believed to hold roughly 25% of the world’s undiscovered coal reserves, pushing its economic worth into the trillions.
On the geopolitical front, the Arctic is strategically important. Situated at the North Pole, it offers access to three key emerging sea routes: the Northern Sea Route (NSR), the Transpolar Sea Route, and the Northwest Passage (NWP). These routes have the potential to bypass traditional shipping lanes like the Suez Canal, cutting travel times by up to two weeks and significantly reducing costs. This coulcreate new trade opportunities, especially between Northern Asia and Europe.
Strategically, the Arctic also offers military and surveillance advantages, providing a crucial vantage point over several nations, including Canada, Russia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and the United States.
Rush for the Region
Given the strategic advantages the Arctic offers, it’s no surprise that the region has become a source of disputes among neighbouring nations. In 1996, the Ottawa Declaration established the Arctic Council—a forum aimed at fostering cooperation and research in the area. While the Council initially focused on environmental studies and research, the spotlight has recently shifted towards geopolitical issues, as more countries acknowledge the Arctic’s growing strategic significance. Currently, six major nations hold substantial interests in the region. The Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the Arctic coastal states—Russia, Canada, the United States, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark (via Greenland)—extend up to 200 nautical miles from their coastlines. However, the central Arctic Ocean, including the North Pole, remains outside the jurisdiction of any one country.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Arctic sea ice is melting at an alarming rate of nearly 13% per decade, with the oldest and thickest ice having shrunk by 95% over the last 30 years (WWF, 2023). This rapid loss of ice is opening up new shipping routes, increasing the strategic importance of the region, and raising the stakes for resource extraction. While direct military conflicts haven’t occurred, nations have taken various symbolic and indirect actions to assert their presence in the Arctic.
A notable incident took place in 2007, when two Russian submersibles, MIR-1 and MIR-2, descended to the seabed beneath the North Pole and planted a titanium Russian flag. This symbolic move acted as a trigger, intensifying the race for territorial claims in the region. Since then, countries—especially Russia and Canada—have pushed to extend their EEZs, with Russia focusing on securing control of the Northern Sea Route and Canada pursuing dominance over the Northwest Passage.
Military activity in the Arctic has significantly increased in recent years. A report by The Simon’s Foundation (2023) notes that there are currently 69 permanently staffed military installations in the Arctic, most of which are operated by Russia. Among them is Nagurskoye Air Base, Russia’s northernmost military outpost. However, the largest military installation in the region is the Pituffik Space Base (formerly known as Thule Air Base), established through a joint agreement between the United States and Denmark in Greenland.
Recent Developments
As global temperatures continue to rise, the Arctic’s strategic and economic importance is expanding rapidly, attracting increasing global attention. In 2024, Canada and Russia conducted Operation Nanook, a military exercise aimed at asserting Arctic sovereignty and enhancing disaster response capabilities (U.S. Navy, 2024). The United States has also shown growing interest in the region. Current U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his previous proposal to acquire Greenland, a stance he raised during his earlier term in office. This renewed interest fits into broader U.S. policies, such as the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the push for expanded offshore drilling—signals of a more assertive Arctic strategy in the years ahead.
Beyond Arctic-bordering nations, non-Arctic states have also begun asserting their presence. In 2019, China officially declared itself a "near-Arctic state" and released a white paper detailing its Arctic policies. As part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China envisions the Polar Silk Road, incorporating Arctic shipping routes into its global trade plans.
Reducing Arctic militarization requires a collective effort, starting with stronger legal frameworks and a more empowered Arctic Council. Guidelines like the Antarctic Treaty could help keep the region demilitarized and protect its resources from military ambitions.
Diplomatic dialogues are crucial to easing tensions and preventing military confrontations, while transparency and confidence-building measures can foster trust between nations. Economic and environmental cooperation should focus on sustainability, though current U.S. policies lean more toward economic interests, which complicates this balance. While involving global bodies like the UN or ICJ might seem logical, the involvement of major powers like the U.S. and Russia adds complexity. It will be interesting to see how Arctic governance unfolds as countries try to balance cooperation with competition.
In the end, a mix of stronger legal frameworks, diplomacy, and sustainable cooperation is key to preserving the Arctic for peaceful use in the future. As the Arctic continues to warm, countries are racing to claim its resources and strategic advantages. The region now stands at a pivotal moment—caught between environmental concerns, territorial disputes, and economic ambitions. In the years to come, it remains to be seen whether nations will choose cooperation or competition as they shape the Arctic’s future.
References
Arctic Portal. (2023). About us. Retrieved from https://arcticportal.org/about-us
The Economist. (2024, January 18). How viable is Arctic shipping? Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2024/01/18/how-viable-is-arctic-shipping
Reuters. (2023). Graphics: Arctic security. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ARCTIC-SECURITY/zgvobmblrpd/
The Simon’s Foundation. (2023). Military footprints in the Arctic. Retrieved from https://www.thesimonsfoundation.ca/highlights/military-footprints-arctic
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (2023). Arctic resource estimates. Retrieved from https://www.usgs.gov
U.S. Navy. (2024, August 27). U.S. Second Fleet completes Operation Nanook 2024 with multinational partners. Retrieved from https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3886099/us-second-fleet-completes-operation-nanook-2024-with-multinational-partners
World Meteorological Organization (WMO). (2023). Global climate report. Retrieved from https://public.wmo.int
World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (2023). Arctic sea ice decline. Retrieved from https://www.worldwildlife.org
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