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Chapter

Published:

A Governance and Risk Inventory for a Changing Arctic

Written by

Elana Wilson Rowe
Research Professor
Ulf Sverdrup
Former Director
Karsten Friis
Research Professor
Geir Hønneland
Former employee
Mike Sfraga

Ed.

Summary:

In this chapter, Elana Wilson Rowe, Ulf Sverdrup, Karsten Friis, Geir Hønneland, and Mike Sfraga caution against viewing trends of conflict and cooperation in the Arctic in binary terms. While the US and Europe are determined to confront malign activity in the region, all sides continue to “demonstrate a commitment to cooperation and joint solutions to common challenges.” After reviewing the key factors and drivers supporting and challenging stability in the Arctic, the authors remind us that “cooperation in conflict” has long been the norm in the region, allowing cooperative governance to progress despite the enduring NATO-Russia military rivalry. Ongoing dialogue in the region – essential for addressing the regional and global implications of climate change – is poorly served by focussing on “narratives or practices of strategic competition alone.” To avoid “political tipping points” beyond which cooperation will become too difficult, the authors call on policymakers to be more proactive in how they address emerging governance challenges related to security and economic development.
  • Published year: 2021
  • Full version: Read the chapter here
  • DOI: 978-1-989811-13-9
  • Page count: 11
  • Language: English
  • Title of book/report: THIN ICE? Perspectives on Arctic Security edited by Duncan Depledge and Whitney Lackenbauer
  • Part description:
    Chapter 2

Themes

  • Security policy
  • Diplomacy
  • The Arctic
  • Oceans

Written by

Elana Wilson Rowe
Research Professor
Ulf Sverdrup
Former Director
Karsten Friis
Research Professor
Geir Hønneland
Former employee
Mike Sfraga