1st ed. 2022 Edition
by Matthias Finger (Editor), Gunnar Rekvig (Editor)
The Arctic has become a global arena.
This development can only be comprehensively understood from a
transdisciplinary perspective encompassing ecological, cultural,
societal, economic, industrial, geopolitical, and security
considerations. This book offers thorough explanations of Arctic
developments and challenges. Global warming is in large part the driving
force behind the transformation of the Arctic by making access possible
to the areas previously out of reach for mining and shipping. An
all-year ice-free Arctic Ocean, a reality possible as soon as perhaps
2030, creates a new dynamic in the North. The retreating ice edge
enables the exploitation of previously inaccessible resources such as
hydrocarbon deposits and rare metals, as well as the shortest sea route
from Asia to Europe. Consequently, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) promises
faster and cheaper shipping. Russia, along side foreign investment,
especially from China, is financing the needed infrastructure.
A warming Arctic, however, also has
negative impacts. The Arctic is home to fragile ecosystems that are
already showing signs of deteriorating. The Arctic has seen
unprecedented wildfires, which, together with the release of trapped
methane from the disappearing permafrost, will, in turn, accelerate
global warming. A warmer Arctic Ocean will also negatively impact
fisheries. Couple this with other global changes, such as ocean
acidification and modified ocean currents, and the global outlook is
bleak. Additionally, the security situation in the Arctic is worsening.
After the 2014 Ukraine crisis, the West imposed sanctions on the Russian
Federation, which have revived the divisions of the Cold War. The
reemergence of these postures is threatening the highly successful
Barents Cooperation and other initiatives for peace in the circumpolar
North. This book offers new insights and presents arguments for how to
mitigate the challenges the Arctic is facing today.
