PERSPECTIVE
THE ARCTIC DYNAMICS
BY SOUMYA DE*
Introduction
The area above the 66° 33' 39" N latitude / Arctic Circle is
referred to as the Arctic. It is the northernmost part of Earth
and it consists of the North Pole, the Arctic Ocean, adjacent
seas, and parts of Alaska, Canada, Finland, Greenland,
Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. The region is unique in
terms of its ecosystem. The land here has seasonally varying
snow and ice cover, with predominantly treeless permafrost-
containing tundra.
The harsh weather, rough terrain and perpetual frozen
state of Arctic were the major hurdles when it came to the
exploration and claiming parts of the region. However, the
snow is receding quickly in the region and the past few years
have witnessed record low ice cover during the summers.
This phenomenon is proving to be advantageous for the
people, who are willing to invest in the regions for resource
exploration and get a strategic advantage.
The Arctic is becoming a highly contested region due
to its strategic location and deposits of huge amounts of
hydrocarbons and precious metals. The Arctic states, as well
as other major non-arctic global powers, are looking at this
region as the future playground, which in many ways will
determine the fate of the world. The ice-capped Arctic is
facing the disastrous eff ects of climate change at almost twice
the rate at which the rest of the earth is facing. It has resulted
in rapid melting of ice, which has contributed signifi cantly
to the sea level rise, which in turn has jeopardized the lives
of millions of people living in close proximity to the sea.
There are opportunities and challenges for the multi-polar
world order in realizing the confl ict-free Arctic dream. Some
countries are trying to benefi t from the changing dynamics
of the Arctic. The melting ice gives access to huge reserves
of hydrocarbons and opens up a couple of major trade
routes, which will cut short the distance between Asia and
Europe signifi cantly. On one hand, the opportunities for
new resources and trade routes are up for grab but on the
other hand, the challenges are the huge costs involved in the
exploration and production of the hydrocarbons amidst the
harsh climate. Another challenge is the competing claims
over the Arctic Ocean by the Arctic states, which generally
overlaps each other. Legal settlements to these issues could
be achievable under the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These claims prove to be a hurdle
in the way of a successful Arctic Diplomacy.
50 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 10 • Oct-Nov 2018, Noida