The Arctic supposedly holds 90 billion barrels of oil – 22% of the world’s remaining oil and gas reserves. These ample supplies make the region highly desirable to the oil and gas industry. Under the Bush Administration, the Department of the Interior auctioned off leases for offshore drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf to take […]
The government of Japan has submitted its application for observer status in the Arctic Council to its current chair, Norway. Though Japan does not possess any Arctic claims, the government is interested in gaining greater access to discussions and negotiations on the Arctic. Japan could benefit heavily from the opening of the Northwest Passage, which […]
This week, Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon gave a speech on Canadian Arctic policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. He outlined Canada’s interests in the Arctic, which include social and economic development for Northerners, energy exploitation, international collaboration with other Arctic states, defense and security, climate change, and the […]
Last week while attending a conference on Afghanistan at the Hague, Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The two discussed their country’s Arctic policies, with Lavrov assuring Cannon that Russia would adhere to the U.N. Law of the Sea when resolving territorial claims. Cannon brought up the issue of […]
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened the first ever joint meeting of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the Arctic Council by announcing that both she and President Barack Obama are determined to finally ratify the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention. Clinton stated that saving the Arctic “starts with the Law of the […]
While Canada has been casting a wary eye on Russian plans in the Arctic, Norway has no such qualms about the Kremlin’s plans for the High North. On March 27, the Russian Security Council revealed its Arctic strategy through the year 2020 and beyond. The plan includes improving and enlarging the capabilities of Russia’s military […]
A new study expects summer sea ice in the Arctic to shrink from 2.8 million square miles to a mere 620,000 square miles within 30 years. Average autumn temperatures for 2005-2008 were 5 degrees Celsius above what had been predicted for the year 2070. Conducted by scientists from the Joint Institute for the Study of […]
The State Department sent out a press release today detailing the upcoming first-ever joint session of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the Arctic Council. The meeting will be held on April 6 in Baltimore, Maryland, marking the start of the 32nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM). The ATCM will take place during the fiftieth […]
Overview Last week, the Russian Security Council released details of how it will conduct its Arctic policy through 2020 and beyond in a document entitled, “The fundamentals of Russian state policy in the Arctic up to 2020 and beyond.” (original document here, in Russian). Developing the Arctic is one of the Kremlin’s priorities, which is […]
Today’s edition of the New York Times features an editorial co-authored by Scott Borgeson and Caitlyn Antrim. Borgeson is a visiting fellow on ocean governance at the Council of Foreign Relations, while Antrim is the executive director of the Rule of Law Committee for the Oceans. The crux of their argument is this: Before the […]
Last Monday, the head of the political section of the Russian Embassy in Ottawa appeared in front of the House of Commons Defense Committee. As expected, Dmitry Trofimov had harsh words for the Canadian government’s reaction to the February 18th Russian jet exercise conducted 200 kilometers outside the border between the Yukon and Alaska. He […]
The University of Toronto’s Munk Centre for International Studies has posted a national video conference discussing Canadian policy in the Arctic. Presented by the Canadian International Council, the conference, entitled “Use It or Lose It: What’s Next for Canada’s Arctic Policy?”, brought together Canadian politicians, historians, and Arctic experts to discuss the future of the […]
The head of the Political Section of the Russian Embassy in Ottawa has been summoned to appear before the House of Commons Defense Committee on Monday. Canadian Members of Parliament will ask Dmitry Trofimov to shed light on Russia’s military policies in the air and sea near the border of Canada’s claimed Arctic territory. Last […]
A team of scientists from Denmark and Canada are preparing to map out the Arctic Ocean with the eventual goal of extending their countries’ territorial reaches. The researchers have already set up a base camp at Ward Hunt Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island, Canada’s northernmost piece of land. Expeditions will also set out from Greenland, […]
The five signatories of the Polar Bear Agreement will meet for the first time since signing the treaty in 1973 to discuss how to save the polar bear. Representatives from Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the U.S. will attend the The International Meeting Under the Polar Bear Agreement in Trosmø, Norway, beginning today. When the […]