The Arctic
The Arctic is experiencing dramatic climate changes that also make the region available for greater resource exploitation and transport activity. The Arctic is indeed becoming increasing important in international politics.
The term ‘the Artic’ refers to the sea and land areas around the North Pole. The eight countries that border on the Arctic – Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the USA - are all permanent members of the Arctic Council. This area has traditionally been characterized by low tension as well as a low degree of economic exploitation of its natural resources. However, this is now changing, due not least to the effects of climate change.
Questions related to the use of natural resources in the Far North, oil/gas and fish in particular, are central to NUPI’s Arctic research, as are issues of security policy. For Norway, relations to Russia are a major factor in the Far North. Also important is the growing interest shown by other parts of the world in the Artic and its natural resources. A central thematic area for Arctic research at NUPI concerns the effects of climate change, which are already influencing and altering conditions in the region – as seen in the case of the new possibilities for traffic via the Northern Sea Route to Asia.
Sources: Store Norske Leksikon and NUPI.
News about The Arctic
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Launching Norway’s Plan for the UN’s “Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”
8 Jan 2021NUPI’s Centre for Ocean Governance is ready to step up to challenge.
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Doubling Down on Arctic Diplomacy
12 Nov 2020- Alf Håkon Hoel
- Yun Sun
- Alexander Sergunin
- Robert Orttung
What impact will the new Biden administration have on Arctic politics? While the Arctic as a region is not likely to figure as feature in the 100-day plan of a new Biden presidency, there are reasons to expect some key changes for the region.
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The Russia Conference 2020: Great Powers and Arctic Politics
7 Sep 2020Did you miss the conference on 10 September? Here are all the panels for you to watch!
Publications about The Arctic
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Publication : Academic lecture
The High North, Between Shipping Routes and Militarization Security Challenges to the Arctic - the Norwegian perspective
Short presentation of Russian objectives in the Arctic as seen from the Norwegian perspective made at the secnd panel of a webinar organized jointly by LSE Ideas, NUPI and New Strategy Center as a par of FLANKS project -
Publication : Popular scientific lecture
What does Russia want in the High North?
Brief presentation of Russia's strategic objectives in the Arctic for partners in the FLANKS project -
Publication : Editorial
Unexplored resources for EU Arctic policy: Energy, oceans and space
2020The EUs current Arctic policy from 2016 focuses on climate and environmental protection, sustainable development and international cooperation. The EU has followed up with contributions to research and international cooperation in these areas. However, the EU’s engagement in the Arctic is overlooked...
Research projects about The Arctic
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Research project
Flanks: Security Challenges in Northern and Southern Europe (FLANKS)
2020 - 2021 (Ongoing)The aim of this project is to develop enhanced knowledge of Russia's behaviour in the Kola Peninsula and the Arctic region, as well as in the Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea region – and to compare...
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Photograph: Allan Hopkins/Creative Commons/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Research project
The Lorax Project: Understanding Ecosystemic Politics (LORAX)
2019 - 2023 (Ongoing)Do regional politics around border-crossing ecosystems share important resemblances and differ in significant ways from global politics?
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Photo: Nonac_Digi/Creative Commons/CC BY NC-SA 2.0 Research project
The International Panel on Arctic Environmental Responsibility
2018 - 2022 (Ongoing)The International Panel on Arctic Environmental Responsibility is an independent and free-standing body tasked with assessing the environmental status of oil, gas, and mining companies in the Arctic.