Canada, norway, russia, denmark via greenland, iceland, sweden, finland and the. It is possible that these military operations are just a flexing of muscles and a display of sovereignty, but at the very least this increased militarization makes a military conflict in the arctic more likely than it has ever been. The arctic frozen conflict international the economist. Exercising sovereignty over canadasnorth, as over the rest of canada, is our number one arctic foreign policy priority. While most of the arctic sovereignty disputes are canadau. Each state that wants to establish outer limits of its continental shelf.
Download citation on sep 2, 2014, michael mitchell and others published arctic sovereignty. Canadas claims to the arctic canada is the worlds second largest circumpolar country. Just in the past few years, china has built islands topped with military bases to back its claim to vast stretches of ocean, in conflict with half a dozen other asian countries, while. Implications of global warming on state sovereignty and arctic resources under the united nations convention on the law of the sea.
Arctic sovereignty and security in a climatechanging world. Pdf contested sovereignty in a changing arctic researchgate. Canadian arctic maritime sovereignty during the trudeau years. The arctic consists of land, internal waters, territorial seas, exclusive economic zones eezs. Cage is a research centre that investigates gas hydrates in the arctic with the aim to understand how. A partnership between strategic studies institute, u. Rapidly receding sea ice and increasingly navigable waters combined with the promise of rich natural resource deposits have made investment in the arctic particularly military and infrastructure investment a priority for arctic nations and other parties that stand to benefit from the region. The population of the russian arctic consists of approximately two million people, including twentyseven ethnic minorities, totaling about 200,000 people. Russia and canada are the two largest arctic countries.
If you need to print pages from this book, we recommend downloading it as a pdf. Russia, who ratified unclos in 1997, recently made a continental shelf claim of 1. International disputes include disputes over maritime access through the northwest passage and a recently escalated dispute over the lomonosov ridge, which bisects the arctic sea, which russia. May 29, 2018 where doubt has risen over canadas claims to arctic sovereignty is in the islands north of the canadian mainland. An analysis of territorial disputes and environmental policy considerations 2009 a. The desire to establish incontestable sovereignty over the largest possible segment of arctic shelf and waters is justified primarily in terms of taking control over highvalue resources, but in fact, this urge is not reducible to greed. The arctic also represents tremendous potential for canadas future. The interesting thing about this conflict is that it shows sometimes rather paradoxical traits. Sovereignty and canadas arctic extended continental shelf. Canada has a rich history in the north, and canadas sovereignty is the foundation for realizing the full potential of canadas north, including its human dimension. A breakthrough in russias bid to determine the outer limits of its continental shelf in the arctic might be immanent. Using the hans island dispute as a diplomatic laboratory conflict analysis article pdf available september 2014 with 804 reads how we measure reads.
Arctic is embedded in canadian history and culture, and in the canadian soul. All land, internal waters, territorial seas and eezs in the arctic are under the jurisdiction of one of the eight arctic coastal states. Unclos allows the states to claim an extended continental shelf of 200350. We dont want the arctic to become arena of conflict. Arctic sovereignty and security in a climatechanging world 3 executive summary in may of this year, about 200 kilometres north of the arctic circle, representatives from the five coastal states of the arctic gathered in the small town of ilulissat, greenland to discuss the future of the north. Sovereignty conflicts and international law and politics. Many conflicts throughout the world can be characterized as sovereignty conflicts in which two states claim exclusive sovereign rights for different reasons over the same piece of land. The treaty, which is later ratified by every arctic state except iceland, grants sovereign rights over continental shelf resources up to a depth of 200 meters or to a depth at which exploitation. Arctic, climate change, ice, north pole, sovereignty. Denmarks sovereignty over all of greenland was recognized by the united states in 1916 and.
The law of the sea and current practices of marine. Mar 28, 2014 russia, the only nonnato littoral arctic state, has made a military buildup in the arctic a strategic priority, restoring sovietera airfields and ports and marshaling naval assets, the guide adds. This article appeared in the international section of the print. Russias new arctic policy document signals continuity. Sovereignty issues loom as arctic sea ice shrinks cbc news. Army war college, centre for international and defence policy, queens university, chair of defence management studies, queens university, and land force doctrine and training system of the canadian forces key insights. There are many similarities between basic principles 2020 and basic principles 2035 when it comes to protecting russias national interests see table 1. Resolving arctic sovereignty from a scandinavian perspective. What will be one of the right honourable stephen harpers legacies during his nine years in office as canadas twentysecond prime minister will be his.
Cooperation or conflict in a changing arctic ocean. Basic principles 2035 introduces the concept of ensuring sovereignty and territorial integrity as the top national interest in the context of the arctic. Global warming, arctic ocean, continental shelf, unlos, dsm 1. At that time, however, the landscape of international law was relatively simple. How the arctic is no longer communis omnium naturali jure. Climate change and the legal status of the arctic ocean. Zones eezs, all with different levels of sovereignty. Even china has chimed in stating that because it has 20% of the globes population it deserves 20% of the arctic. The inuit, the state, and the challenge of arctic sovereignty lanham, md. By taneil george as the arctic continues to melt, concern over who can claim sovereignty over it continues to rise. This book charts the history of performances of sovereignty over the arctic in the policy and visual representations of the us, canada and russia.
Russia is winning support for its claims on arctic shelf. Arctic sovereignty first priority for north, says harper. It is increasingly clear that the available remedies have been less than successful in many of these cases, and that a peaceful and definitive solution is needed. In the context of the cold war, canada sent inuit families to the far north in the high arctic relocation, partly to establish territoriality. The prize for these countries is the mineral wealth of the arctic. He is considered a leading expert on the subject of arctic sovereignty issues. Illini journal of international security the arctic. Balancing sovereignty and multilateral cooperation in the arctic. Jan 20, 2016 nunalivut 2015, last springs arctic sovereignty manoeuvres promoted by the military as a largescale military exercise, involved little more than 200 personnel. James stavridis has warned that the arctic could become a zone of competition, or worse, a zone of conflict.
Canada falling short on arctic sovereignty geopolitical monitor. Sovereignty, security, and stewardship kindle edition by griffiths, franklyn, huebert, rob, lackenbauer, p. In our arctic foreign policy, the first and most important pillar towards recognizing the potential of canadas arctic is the exercise of our sovereignty over the far north. Pascal poirier articulates the first claim to national sovereignty over. Understanding sovereignty disputes in the north by michael byers will get your blood boiling if you believe, as i do, that the northwest passage is canadian and not an international waterway. Aug 27, 2014 lavrovs answer was a response to comments attributed to canadas foreign minister john baird, who told denmarks berlingske newspaper earlier this week that ottawa was determined to promote and defend the sovereignty of canada in the arctic in the face of the russian threat, manifested in the reactivation of a sovietera base off. The united states, by virtue of alaska, is an arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. Western political science and polar research and policy. A continental shelf gives the coastal state sovereign rights to explore the shelf and exploit its natural resources. Russia not only reason to bolster arctic sovereignty. By acting in a concerted and transparent manner, the united states and its nato allies can prevent the arctic from becoming a zone of conflict. The arctic consists of land, internal waters, territorial seas, exclusive economic zones eezs and high seas above the arctic circle 66 degrees 33 minutes north latitude.
Sovereignty and conflict in the arctic due to climate change. As a result, the canadian arctic analysis sovereignty, security, and canadas northern strategy p. Aug 22, 2011 this line runs straight through the interests of sovereign states, mostly the arctic states but also more and more non arctic actors, and the interests of the people living in the increasingly strategically and economically important arctic region. Improved access for shipping and resource development is leading to new international rules on safety, pollution prevention and emergency response. Climate change and rising oil prices have thrust the arctic to the top of the foreign policy agenda and raised difficult issues of sovereignty, security and environmental protection. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Janice parks is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the national post, toronto sun, calgary herald, edmonton journal and victoria timescolonist. For example, canada recently changed the nature of its arctic claims to conform to unclos procedure, by departing from simple reaffirmations of past assertions of sovereignty and instead beginning work on a continental shelf proposal due for submission in 20. The contributors discuss the nature of sovereignty in both senses, applying it to a wide range of topics such as the evolution of property rights in fragile and conflict affected nation states, and notions of sovereign. Continental shelf negotiation, mediation and arbitration continental shelves sovereignty laws, regulations and rules.
Mar 22, 2011 the effort to secure sovereignty over continental shelves in the arctic has at once been described as a land grab, 1 a gold rush, 2 and, a race to claim arctic resources. Canadian arctic sovereignty essay 1220 words bartleby. In particular, both policies name the arctic as the main resource base for russias economic growth. It distinguishes between the dual meaning of sovereignty in property discourse political sovereignty and owner sovereignty. This talk draws from her newly published book, breaking the ice.
Potential military conflict over the arctic is near. Basaran, the lomonosov ridge and the overlapping outer continental shelf claim to north pole, journal of maritime law and commerce, vol. Arctic states are committed to abiding by the losc, the recommendations of the clcs, and the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading canada and the changing arctic. One of canadas priorities in regards to arctic sovereignty should be to protect the inuit people not only because they are experiencing a loss in culture, but the circumpolar inuit declaration on arctic sovereignty also declares that the inuit have rights to the resources and the land upon which they live on. International law in crisis by case western reserve journal of international law. This line runs straight through the interests of sovereign states, mostly the arctic states but also more and more non arctic actors, and the interests of the people living in the increasingly strategically and economically important arctic region. Rush for arctics resources provokes territorial tussles. With 162,000 kilometers of arctic coastline, it is undeniable that the increased global interest in the arctic region is a pivotal concern to canadas strategic interests. Denmark could also conceivably claim an arctic sector 60w to 10w.
The law of the sea in the arctic potsdam summer school. In the contemporary arctic, sovereignty is best understood by reflecting on the views of arctic inhabitants, rather than focusing on borders, bombers and battleships. Mar 23, 2016 in the contemporary arctic, sovereignty is best understood by reflecting on the views of arctic inhabitants, rather than focusing on borders, bombers and battleships. At times, media reports on the arctic have depicted an unclaimed wilderness with states scrambling for resources. Economic development, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. The stakes are only continuing to rise as the flux of ice coverage in the arctic circle diminishes every year. Scramble for the arctic 25 disputes, conflict over aquatic territory, and contradictory boundary claims will likely require more involvement of international bodies in resolv ing these disputes, which are already emerging in the arctic,11 east asia12 and anywhere offshore oil exploration is ongoing. Background and issues for congress summary the diminishment of arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the regions future. Russias growing aggressiveness in the international sphere is not the only reason to demonstrate canadas sovereignty in the arctic, prime minister stephen harper. An arctic treaty university of maine school of law digital commons. Engage your students during remote learning with video readalouds. Spurred to action by the tremendous technological advances of world war ii, u. Denmarks sovereignty over all of greenland was recognized by the united states in 1916 and by an international court in 1933. Implications of global warming on state sovereignty and.
In 1958 the united nations approved the convention on the continental shelf, which essentially codified trumans 1945 proclamation into international law. Struggle for arctic resources could devolve into conflict. Where doubt has risen over canadas claims to arctic sovereignty is in the islands north of the canadian mainland. The northwest passage as a question of sovereignty environment. The changing arctic is a topic of increasing interest to the maritime security community. The threat of military conflict in the arctic is low, while the challenges associated with resource. Russias greatest ambition in the arctic is the expansion of its exclusive rights over the continental shelf. Ssc 6210, western university, london, ontario, canada on 24 november 2017, polar research and policy initiative and the department of political science, western university, will be cohosting a talk by elizabeth riddell dixon titled sovereignty and canadas arctic. Canadas arctic sovereignty is on thin ice now magazine. The geopolitical and geoeconomic importance of the arctic. Sovereignty is the key to russias arctic policy prio. Arctic relations, argued rob huebert of the university of calgarys centre for military and strategic studies, at a conference hosted by the canada institute on december 11, 2007.
Threequarters of the arctic oceans coastlines belong to russia and canada. Norways intelligence service played down the risks of conflict in the arctic monday, arguing that reports of a scramble for the regions oil and gas were more myth than reality. Some of the early explorers here were british martin frobisher, 1576, john davis, 1585 and 1587, and others but many of these islands were reached and explored by scandinavians or americans see arctic exploration. She will illuminate debates about sovereign state rights and conflict over arctic resources. While recent accounts of the topic place much emphasis on climate change or a new geopolitics of the region, the history of the inuit circumpolar council icc and arctic politics reaches back much further in time.
The arctic is quickly reemerging as a strategic area where vital u. The dependency gives greenland an arctic advantage in negotiations with denmark, while turning circumpolar events into strategic arenas for sovereignty games in the aim to move the boundary of what greenland may do internationally without danish involvement. Unfortunately, this book cant be printed from the openbook. Denmark challenges russia and canada over north pole bbc. That said, an effective sovereignty and security program. Who owns the arctic understanding sovereignty disputes in. In recent years, rapid climate change has brought the far north to the publics attention. A weak argument indeed, but it sheds light on the aggressive interest for the final piece. Using the hans island dispute as a diplomatic laboratory conflict analysis find, read and cite all. Introduction this paper provides an overview of the legal issues posed by the melting of the ice in the arctic region and clarifies a number of issues concerning sovereignty, territoriality, and sovereign rights in the arctic ocean. The harper government has branded itself as a resolute defender of canadas arctic sovereignty. The danish navy recently occupied hans island, a barren hunk of rock between ellesmere island and greenland that canada claims as its territory.
Russia, with an arctic coastline stretching over 20,000 km 2, is the biggest arctic state. These territorial disputes have not yet manifested into physical conflict, but are apparent in the arctic nations official land claim submissions to the united nations. Prime minister stephen harper launched his summer tour of the arctic on a familiar refrain, warning that protecting canadas sovereignty is the first and highest priority. More precisely, there is the potential for interstate conflict in the arctic area related to unresolved border issues, control of. Canadian arctic sovereignty the canadian encyclopedia. The surging forces of globalization and climate change have turned a vast, inhospitable region from a neglected backyard into an international arena where the proven benefits of cooperation must compete in the minds of governments with everpresent tendencies toward rivalry and the consequent risk of intensified conflict. This chapters maps orient the reader to territorial claims in arctic lands and waters. All arctic nations still have a major disagreement over who owns bits of the continental shelf in the arctic ocean, most particularly the 1,800km lomonosov ridge. Professor suzanne lalonde university of montreal, canada after decades of neglect, the issue of arctic sovereignty has found it way into the political and media limelight within canada. Apr 10, 2020 some cold war adizs remain in place, including the north american adiz, created by canada and the united states over the arctic. Arctic scholars can help bridge the gap between different understandings of sovereignty and security, by generating theoretical and policy insights that reflect a diversity of.
In july 1880, the british government transferred the rest of. Yes, over the years i have seen arctic sovereignty flare up as a frontpage issue numerous times, usually driven by another country staking claim to arctic resources, or to explain a. Oct 22, 2007 inuit are patriotic canadians, and we believe that canada must have an adequate military presence and surveillance capacity in the arctic. The wider issue of whether canadas arctic waters were internal or international was left unresolved. Canada, which plans to assert sovereignty over part of the polar continental shelf see map. Canadian domestic land claims acts are based on an extensive study of historical inuit land use in the canadian arctic, and observers have suggested that canadian claims to sovereignty over waters in the arctic could also be so based.
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