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The Messy Geopolitics of the Far North: The Arctic Council
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The Messy Geopolitics of the Far North: The Arctic Council

The Arctic Council: Navigating Geopolitical Tensions

Overview of the Arctic Council

  • The Arctic is experiencing rapid ice melting, leading to new shipping routes, fishing opportunities, and oil fields, igniting competition among nations.
  • The Arctic Council, formed in 1996, consists of eight member states aiming to foster cooperation on issues affecting the region.
  • Originating from the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS), the Council's establishment was formalized through the Ottawa Declaration in 1996.

Membership and Structure

  • The eight member countries include the US, Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia; these are the only nations with territory in the Arctic.
  • Six indigenous communities hold "Permanent Participant" status within the Council: Aleut International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich’in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Russian Association of Indigenous People of the North, and Saami Council.
  • The Secretariat manages organizational tasks for the Council; its chair rotates every two years—Norway holds this position until 2025.

Meetings and Declarations

  • Senior officials from member states meet biannually in the chair's country; a ministerial-level meeting occurs at each chair's term end to summarize achievements and set future goals.
  • Notable past declarations include Barrow Declaration (2000), Salekhard Declaration (2006), and Rovaniemi Declaration (2019).

Indigenous Participation

  • The Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat supports permanent participants by facilitating their representation and information sharing within the council.

Focus Areas Excluding Security

  • The Ottawa Declaration explicitly excludes military security matters from discussions within the Arctic Council’s scope.

Understanding Maritime Laws Affecting Resource Extraction

United Nations Convention on Law of Seas (UNCLOS)

  • UNCLOS defines maritime zones: internal waters grant full control to coastal nations; territorial waters allow foreign passage under "innocent passage."

Economic Zones Explained

  • Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): extends 200 nautical miles from baseline where coastal nations control economic resources like fishing and oil drilling.

Continental Shelf Claims

  • If a nation's continental shelf extends beyond EEZ limits ("extended continental shelf"), it retains rights over resources beneath but not above water.

Geopolitical Tensions Over Resource Claims

Mapping Disputes

  • Unverified claims regarding extended continental shelves complicate resource extraction rights as melting ice exposes more oil fields.

Northwest Passage Controversy

  • A specific dispute exists over Canada's Northwest Passage route which has implications for international shipping rights.

The Future of the Northwest Passage and Arctic Council

The Significance of the Northwest Passage

  • The travel distance from Pori, Finland to Vancouver was shortened by 1,000 nautical miles using the Northwest Passage.
  • This route allowed for an additional cargo capacity of 15,000 tons compared to the Panama Canal (prior to its 2016 expansion).
  • The successful navigation through the passage relied on icebreakers from the Canadian Coast Guard.

Geopolitical Implications

  • Canada claims the Northwest Passage as internal waters, granting it control over who can navigate through it.
  • In contrast, the US and former European Community argue that it should be classified as a strait, thus making it international waters.
  • Tensions arise with China's claim as a "near-Arctic State," seeking resource extraction in Arctic regions.

Tensions Among Arctic States

  • Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, activities involving Russia were suspended by the other seven member states of the Arctic Council (the "Arctic 7").
  • While some functions resumed without Russian participation, climate and environmental projects ceased due to reliance on cross-border data collection.

Challenges Facing the Arctic Council

  • Questions have emerged regarding the relevance of an Arctic forum that excludes half of its geographical area due to political tensions.
  • The effectiveness of the Arctic Council is under scrutiny since all its declarations are non-binding.
  • Future considerations include how resource competition and militarization will impact relations among member states.
Video description

The Arctic Council. In the northernmost reaches of the world, the ice is quickly melting, opening new shipping routes, fishing opportunities, and oil fields. This is setting off a race among nations eager to tap into the Arctic’s potential — learn more about it in this video! —————— Image credits Crumpled paper overlay: https://youtu.be/Jnwu4ZhB0ac?si=Xbxch9YDiTVnrfr0. Oil well: By Kjerish - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46874953. Map of the Arctic water column: By Alphaomegapyat - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110044086. MS Nordic Orion: By kees torn - NORDIC ORION & SVITZER MARKEN, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=150095852. Panama Canal: By Keith Yahl - 150709_untitled_089-12.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=130274864. Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker: By Ecniv o - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116453096. Stars on thumbnail: By MATHIAS, M H from Guaratinguetá, Brasil - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101329205. —————— Chapters 0:00 — Intro 00:51 — Origins of the Arctic Council 01:20 — Structure of the Arctic Council 03:20 — The Law of the Sea 04:40 — Tensions Among Member States 07:20 — The Future of the Arctic Council 07:36 — Outro —————— Explaining the world, one video at a time. Be sure to subscribe and share!