Arctic sovereignty and security in a climatechanging world 3 executive summary in may of this year, about 200 kilometres north of the arctic circle, representatives from the five coastal states of the arctic gathered in the small town of ilulissat, greenland to discuss the future of the north. Arctic sovereignty and canada by asbah and shanyce ongoing issue, because territorial claims change every ten years for whichever nation that wants to have the arctic under their responsibility. Canadas arctic sovereignty is on thin ice now magazine. Using the hans island dispute as a diplomatic laboratory conflict analysis article pdf available september 2014 with. Arctic sovereignty videos and latest news articles. Janice parks is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the national post, toronto sun, calgary herald, edmonton journal and victoria timescolonist. We are deeply concerned, and we are determined to promote and defend the sovereignty of canada in the arctic, baird said in an interview with the danish publication berlingske, published in the native language. To what extent should canada protect its arctic sovereignty. Canadian arctic sovereignty is currently a pressing issue has raised many questions about who owns and who has control over the arctic and its precious resources. Valuing our role as one of the worlds arctic nations means. Apr 01, 2015 the united states takes over the chairmanship of the arctic council from canada on april 24 during the arctic council ministerial meeting in iqaluit, nunavut, canada. The united states takes over the chairmanship of the arctic council from canada on april 24 during the arctic council ministerial meeting in iqaluit, nunavut, canada. Arctic governance is a composite of national sovereignty and the multilateral arctic council in which the five coastal states join three arctic states.
What will be one of the right honourable stephen harpers legacies during his nine years in office as canadas twentysecond prime minister will be his. The commonplace notion that the biggest threat to the arctic region is spillover from conflict elsewhere is becoming real. The eu started life as a small trading bloc but now spans 28 soon to be 27 countries with half a billion people. Nov 07, 2016 international disputes over territory can be ugly affairs, waged with all the nastiness of a divorce, backed with the force of armies. The arctic is indeed part of our history, as the prime minister noted, and a robust understanding of previous sovereignty and security thinking, policy, and practices should inform our assessment of policy options, probable future scenarios, and the feasibility of proposed courses of action. Canada, norway, russia, denmark, iceland, sweden, finland and the united states. Denmarks sovereignty over all of greenland was recognized by the united states in 1916 and by an international court in 1933. According to huebert, the harper government was heavily focused on canadas arctic sovereignty, but played. He is considered a leading expert on the subject of arctic sovereignty issues. The ocean has always been an important source of food for the. Canada falling short on arctic sovereignty geopolitical monitor. Conflict demands at least two parties and the intensity can be either violent or nonviolent. The traditional view of arctic security focuses on military defence, especially the protection of national borders and the assertion of state sovereignty over arctic land and water. In the battle for sovereignty of a disputed arctic island.
Resolving arctic sovereignty from a scandinavian perspective. May 24, 2016 sarah hertz, marketing administrator, university of calgary press the arctic is front page news in canada and around the world. International law in crisis by case western reserve journal of international law. Canadian arctic sovereignty essay 1220 words bartleby. If you need to print pages from this book, we recommend downloading it as a pdf. Jan 20, 2016 nunalivut 2015, last springs arctic sovereignty manoeuvres promoted by the military as a largescale military exercise, involved little more than 200 personnel.
On the one hand, there is talk of a new cold war brewing, tied to a race for resources with nations scrambling to claim the. Jan 01, 2007 introduction arctic sovereignty has become once again a matter of political importance. Article, indigenous rights and issues, natural resources and energy, russia. Understanding sovereignty disputes in the north by michael byers will get your blood boiling if you believe, as i do, that the northwest passage is canadian and not an international waterway. The economist offers authoritative insight and opinion on international news, politics, business, finance, science, technology and the connections between them. May 07, 2015 an introduction to inuit rights and arctic sovereignty may 7, 2015 by robin campbell the rapidly changing climate in the arctic is opening up the possibility of exploiting the natural resources contained in the arctic ocean seabed. In my mind, arctic sovereignty relates to what i said about canada needing to understand and value what it means to be an arctic nation. Canada, which plans to assert sovereignty over part of the.
Under international law, the north pole and the region of the arctic ocean surr. Unfortunately, this book cant be printed from the openbook. A circumpolar inuit declaration on sovereignty in the arctic. Thank you for the introduction and my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to participate in this workshop. Sarah hertz, marketing administrator, university of calgary press the arctic is front page news in canada and around the world. Using the hans island dispute as a diplomatic laboratory conflict analysis article pdf available september 2014 with 804 reads how we measure reads. Oct 22, 2007 inuit are patriotic canadians, and we believe that canada must have an adequate military presence and surveillance capacity in the arctic. The harper government has branded itself as a resolute defender of canadas arctic sovereignty. Denmark could also conceivably claim an arctic sector 60w to 10w. The ocean is vast and covers 140 million square miles, some 72 per cent of the earths surface.
The data can be used to define the boundaries of the continental shelf in the arctic ocean and will part of. The issue of northern sovereignty global warming has helped create the conditions necessary for a perfect storm when it comes to canadau. Some of the early explorers here were british martin frobisher, 1576, john davis, 1585 and 1587, and others but many of these islands were reached and explored by scandinavians or americans see arctic exploration. Balancing sovereignty and multilateral cooperation in the arctic. In 2007 a russianled polar expedition, descending through the icy waters of the arctic ocean in a. Canadian arctic sovereignty the canadian encyclopedia. This book puts the scramble for arctic dominance in the context of sovereignty and jurisdiction, the supply of energy for expanding economies, sea lanes and the question of navigation, and elements of militarization and securitization dispersed across a variety of northern corridors. Spring, 2009 sovereignty in the arctic 347 ice reductions have been found regionally.
In the context of the cold war, canada sent inuit families to the far north in the high arctic relocation, partly to establish territoriality. Arctic sovereignty first priority for north, says harper. An introduction to inuit rights and arctic sovereignty. Recent military exercises near the novosibirskiye islands involved 10 warships and 4 nuclearpowered icebreakers and the reopening of a sovietera military base. Russia not only reason to bolster arctic sovereignty. To that end, the federal government has made a number of steps in exercising sovereignty in the arctic. Introduction arctic sovereignty has become once again a matter of political importance. A short history how a frigid no mans land became one of the most hotly contested territories on earth. Mixed messages from journalists, academics, and government representatives predict both conflict and cooperation in the region. International law and the arctic explains these developments and reveals a strong trend towards international cooperation and lawmaking. They also assessed the potential security threats and economic opportunities. Professor suzanne lalonde university of montreal, canada after decades of neglect, the issue of arctic sovereignty has found it way into the political and media limelight within canada. International law regulates this area as with other portions of the earth.
Arctic sovereignty and security in a climatechanging world. A conflict on how to monitor the arctic islands and the security around that region. But, while we may not visit it, we have always known that we canadians owned it. During the cold war, arctic security was inseparable from national security, nuclear deterrence and the bipolar rivalry between the american and soviet superpowers. Sovereignty and conflict in the arctic due to climate change page 4 the north pole. The arctic council as regional body klaus dodds the arctic council ac is an intergovernmental organization that, since its creation in 1996, has been widely recognized as one of the most progressive regional bodies in the world. Just in the past few years, china has built islands topped with military bases to back its claim to vast stretches of ocean, in conflict with half a dozen other asian countries, while. Robert huebert, associate director of the centre for strategic and military studies at the university of calgary. Oct 30, 20 strengthening regional security forces has been seen as a top priority of russias arctic policy, as it guarantees russias sovereignty in the region. It thus contradicts the widespread misconception that the arctic is an unregulated zone of potential conflict. Best books on the european union five books expert. Pascal poirier articulates the first claim to national sovereignty over arctic territory based on meridians of longitude, arguing that canada should make a formal declaration of. Even though the arctic 1 conflict can in a wide definition be seen as clashes of interests where actors use conflictive behavior against each other to attain their incompatible goals. Even though it will take years for the melting of the arctic ice sheets to trigger widespread coastal flooding, other effects have already appeared.
What can be done to help its institutions catch up with the new reality. It is extremely useful at clarifying the basic issues and providing a stepping stone for further research. On 7 november, international inuit day, we expressed unity in our concerns over arctic sovereignty. Prime minister stephen harper launched his summer tour of the arctic on a familiar refrain, warning that protecting canadas sovereignty is the first and highest priority. The arctic frozen conflict international the economist. Although strengthening russias engagement in the arctic may be a key building block in the development of the region, an overemphasis on sovereignty issues risks overlooking the importance of economic and strategic developments beyond the region. The traditional view of arctic security focuses on military defense, especially the protection of national borders and the assertion of state sovereignty over arctic land and water.
The future of arctic resources is determined elsewhere. A few years ago, i was involved in a publishing project and was told that arctic sovereignty had to be in the title because it sells best. International disputes over territory can be ugly affairs, waged with all the nastiness of a divorce, backed with the force of armies. The changing climate of arctic regions, concerns about defence capability, interest in mineral exploitation, and greater awareness of the needs of canadas indigenous peoples, have all combined to direct political attention to the north. All land, internal waters, territorial seas and eezs in the arctic are under the jurisdiction of one of the eight arctic coastal states.
Contested sovereignty in a changing arctic article pdf available in annals of the american association of geographers 1004 august 2010 with 366 reads how we measure reads. Claims under unclos have to be made within ten years. With 162,000 kilometers of arctic coastline, it is undeniable that the increased global interest in the arctic region is a pivotal concern to canadas strategic interests. Social studies 20arctic sovereignty and canada prezi. Canadas claims to the arctic canada is the worlds second largest circumpolar country. That cooperation in the arctic was sharply contrasted with the ongoing conflict in ukraine. Although many indigenous peoples still engage in traditional activities, they are often also interested in options for economic development. Arctic relations, argued rob huebert of the university of calgarys centre for military and strategic studies, at a conference hosted by the canada institute on december 11, 2007. With the knowledge of vast energy resources, the claim to sovereignty in the arctic has become a challenge for the mechanisms of international law as each state is eager to demonstrate its entitlement to sovereignty in the arctic. The arctic consists of land, internal waters, territorial seas, exclusive economic zones and high seas above the arctic circle. Part i march 15, 2011 march 15, 2011 coha only a few short weeks ago, a u. Sovereignty conflicts and international law and politics. Who owns the arctic understanding sovereignty disputes in.
One of canadas priorities in regards to arctic sovereignty should be to protect the inuit people not only because they are experiencing a loss in culture, but the circumpolar inuit declaration on arctic sovereignty also declares that the inuit have rights to the resources and the land upon which they live on. Engage your students during remote learning with video readalouds. Russias growing aggressiveness in the international sphere is not the only reason to demonstrate canadas sovereignty in the arctic, prime minister stephen harper. Defending our sovereignty in the arctic introduction the true north, strong and freea line from our national anthem, and a rallying cry for canadian patriots immediately calls to mind a vast, frozen expanse, a land that most canadians will never visit. Canada falling short on arctic sovereignty geopolitical.
New security network in the works as world powers turn north. The resolution of this complicated scenario is yet to be determined and there are several possible outcomes. Who owns the arctic understanding sovereignty disputes. Unlike international governance specified for antarctica by treaty, arctic governance is a composite of national sovereignty and the multilateral arctic council in which the five coastal states join three arctic states finland, iceland, and sweden without coastal access to the arctic ocean, and representatives of six indigenous peoples. An analysis of territorial disputes and environmental policy considerations 2009 a. Arctic sovereignty is a key part of canadas history and future 40 per cent of the countrys landmass is in its three northern territories, and the country has 162,000 kilometers km of arctic coastline. Sovereignty, security, and stewardship, the authors, all leading commentators on arctic affairs, grapple with fundamental questions about how canada should craft a responsible and effective northern strategy. That said, an effective sovereignty and security program. Defending our sovereignty in the arctic introduction. Drawing on the work of john rawls in a theory of justice, this book considers how distributive justice theories can be in tune with the concept of sovereignty and explores the possibility of a solution for sovereignty conflicts based on rawlsian methodology. Brexit and europes troubled future, has some ideas. Arctic sovereignty also encompasses canada being able to effectively monitor and enforce authority over its northern land, sea, and air.
Cohas forthcoming three part series will investigate the tenets of the arctic sovereignty issue, and suggest how canada and the united states can work together to secure their shared strategic interests in a region of rising importance. As an arctic nation canada is not immune to the consequences of these transformations. On the one hand, there is talk of a new cold war brewing, tied to a race for resources with nations. Mar 23, 2016 the traditional view of arctic security focuses on military defense, especially the protection of national borders and the assertion of state sovereignty over arctic land and water. Mar 22, 2011 the effort to secure sovereignty over continental shelves in the arctic has at once been described as a land grab, 1 a gold rush, 2 and, a race to claim arctic resources. Where doubt has risen over canadas claims to arctic sovereignty is in the islands north of the canadian mainland. Home news canadas arctic sovereignty is on thin ice. Byers, a canadian scholar of international law, surveys the emerging lines of conflict, focusing on territorial and sovereignty disputes. They outline diverse paths to achieving sovereignty, security, and stewardship in canadaas arctic and in the broader circumpolar world. Interdependence, not sovereignty, is the key to the. International disputes include disputes over maritime access through the northwest passage and a recently escalated dispute over the lomonosov ridge, which bisects the arctic sea, which russia. Inuit are patriotic canadians, and we believe that canada must have an adequate military presence and surveillance capacity in the arctic. This book proposes a fair and just way of dealing with certain sovereignty conflicts. Continental shelf negotiation, mediation and arbitration continental shelves sovereignty laws, regulations and rules.
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