Global Challenges in the Arctic Region

Global Challenges in the Arctic Region PDF

Author: Elena Conde

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-08-05

Total Pages: 438

ISBN-13: 1317128044

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Bringing together interconnected discussions to make explicit the complexity of the Arctic region, this book offers a legal discussion of the ongoing territorial disputes and challenges in order to frame their impact into the viability of different governance strategies that are available at the national, regional and international level. One of the intrinsic features of the region is the difficulty in the determination of boundaries, responsibilities and interests. Against this background, sovereignty issues are intertwined with environmental and geopolitical issues that ultimately affect global strategic balances and international trade and, at the same time, influence national approaches to basic rights and organizational schemes regarding the protection of indigenous peoples and inhabitants of the region. This perspective lays the ground for further discussion, revolving around the main clusters of governance (focusing on the Arctic Council and the European Union, with the particular roles and interest of Arctic and non-Arctic states, and the impact on indigenous populations), environment (including the relevance of national regulatory schemes, and the intertwinement with concerns related to energy, or migration), strategy (concentrating in geopolitical realities and challenges analysed from different perspectives and focusing on different actors, and covering security and climate change related challenges). This collection provides an avenue for parallel and converging research of complex realities from different disciplines, through the expertise of scholars from different latitudes.

International Relations and the Arctic: Understanding Policy and Governance

International Relations and the Arctic: Understanding Policy and Governance PDF

Author: Robert W. Murray

Publisher: Cambria Press

Published: 2014-06-26

Total Pages: 742

ISBN-13: 1604978767

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Increased global interest in the Arctic poses challenges to contemporary international relations and many questions surround exactly why and how Arctic countries are asserting their influence and claims over their northern reaches and why and how non-Arctic states are turning their attention to the region. Despite the inescapable reality in the growth of interest in the Arctic, relatively little analysis on the international relations aspects of such interest has been done. Traditionally, international relations studies are focused on particular aspects of Arctic relations, but to date there has been no comprehensive effort to explain the region as a whole. Literature on Arctic politics is mostly dedicated to issues such as development, the environment and climate change, or indigenous populations. International relations, traditionally interested in national and international security, has been mostly silent in its engagement with Arctic politics. Essential concepts such as security, sovereignty, institutions, and norms are all key aspects of what is transpiring in the Arctic, and deserve to be explained in order to better comprehend exactly why the Arctic is of such interest. The sheer number of states and organizations currently involved in Arctic international relations make the region a prime case study for scholars, policymakers and interested observers. In this first systematic study of Arctic international relations, Robert W. Murray and Anita Dey Nuttall have brought together a group of the world's leading experts in Arctic affairs to demonstrate the multifaceted and essential nature of circumpolar politics. This book is core reading for political scientists, historians, anthropologists, geographers and any other observer interested in the politics of the Arctic region.

The Arctic

The Arctic PDF

Author: Oleg S. Pokrovsky

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 425

ISBN-13: 9781536173062

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Learning in the changing Arctic / Nafisa Yeasmin and Stefan Kirchner -- Climate change from the Arctic people's point of view : rhythms of everyday life, infrastructures and landscapes / Lidia Rakhmanova, Larissa Kolesnichenko, Viktor Drozdov, Yuriy Kolesnichenko and Sergey Kirpotin -- Warmer climate of Arctic cities / Igor Esau, Mikhail Varentsov, Marlene Laruelle, Martin W. Miles, Pavel Konstantinov, Andrey Soromotin, Alexander A. Baklanov and Victoria V. Miles -- A comparative study on the cooperation in the Arctic Ocean and the South China Sea / Ekaterina Antsygina, Lassi Heininen and Nadejda Komendantova -- Developing environmental research capacity in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District within a global networking framework / T.S. Kolesnikova, S.N. Kirpotin, L.G. Kolesnichenko, E.N. Morgun, O.M. Shaduiko, L.P. Borilo, A.I. Sinitskiy, A.L. Titovskiy, O.S. Pokrovsky, A.V. Kouraev, P.J. Mitchell and S.N. Vorobiov -- Vegetation of the subarctic and Arctic of Siberia : some types and approaches to the ttudy / I.V. Volkov, I.I. Volkova and S.N. Kirpotin -- Conservation issues of migratory anseriformes in the Arctic : the experience of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug / S.B. Rozenfeld, G.V. Kirtaev, M. Yu. Soloviev, N.V. Rogova, S.N. Kirpotin and D.O. Zamyatin -- Remote research of spatiotemporal dynamics of thermokarst lakes fields in Siberian permafrost / Yury M. Polishchuk, Ildar N. Muratov and Vladimir Y. Polishchuk -- Groundwater resources of the White Sea Basin (NW Russia) / Alexander I. Malov -- Estimation of the condition of Arctic tundra landscapes soil cover taking into account previous and current economic activities : an example of the western coast of Moller Bay (Archipelago Novaya Zemlya) / Vidas V. Kriauciunas, Irina A. Kuznetsova, Stanislav A. Iglovsky, Ekaterina I. Kotova and Kirill A. Mironenko -- Radionuclides in sea ecosystems of the western sector of the Russian Arctic / Sergey B. Zykov, Sergey V. Druzhinin, Evgeny Yu. Yakovlev and Elena N. Zykova -- Seismic monitoring of the European Arctic and adjoining regions / Galina Antonovskaya, Alexey Morozov, Natalia Vaganova and Yana Konechnaya -- Diamond deposits of the European Arctic of Russia : problems of the Kimberlites Exploration, limits of conventional methods and new approaches / K.B. Danilov, E. Yu Yakovlev and N. Yu Afonin -- Dispersed sedimentary material in the snow and ice cover of the central Arctic and its fluxes to the bottom / Alexander N. Novigatsky.

The Arctic and World Order

The Arctic and World Order PDF

Author: Kristina Spohr

Publisher: Brookings Institution Press

Published: 2021-01-26

Total Pages: 426

ISBN-13: 0999740687

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The Arctic, long described as the world’s last frontier, is quickly becoming our first frontier—the front line in a world of more diffuse power, sharper geopolitical competition, and deepening interdependencies between people and nature. A space of often-bitter cold, the Arctic is the fastest-warming place on earth. It is humanity’s canary in the coal mine—an early warning sign of the world’s climate crisis. The Arctic “regime” has pioneered many innovative means of governance among often-contentious state and non-state actors. Instead of being the “last white dot on the map,” the Arctic is where the contours of our rapidly evolving world may first be glimpsed. In this book, scholars and practitioners—from Anchorage to Moscow, from Nuuk to Hong Kong—explore the huge political, legal, social, economic, geostrategic and environmental challenges confronting the Arctic regime, and what this means for the future of world order.

The Arctic in the Anthropocene

The Arctic in the Anthropocene PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2014-07-31

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 0309301866

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Once ice-bound, difficult to access, and largely ignored by the rest of the world, the Arctic is now front and center in the midst of many important questions facing the world today. Our daily weather, what we eat, and coastal flooding are all interconnected with the future of the Arctic. The year 2012 was an astounding year for Arctic change. The summer sea ice volume smashed previous records, losing approximately 75 percent of its value since 1980 and half of its areal coverage. Multiple records were also broken when 97 percent of Greenland's surface experienced melt conditions in 2012, the largest melt extent in the satellite era. Receding ice caps in Arctic Canada are now exposing land surfaces that have been continuously ice covered for more than 40,000 years. What happens in the Arctic has far-reaching implications around the world. Loss of snow and ice exacerbates climate change and is the largest contributor to expected global sea level rise during the next century. Ten percent of the world's fish catches comes from Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that up to 13 percent of the world's remaining oil reserves are in the Arctic. The geologic history of the Arctic may hold vital clues about massive volcanic eruptions and the consequent release of massive amount of coal fly ash that is thought to have caused mass extinctions in the distant past. How will these changes affect the rest of Earth? What research should we invest in to best understand this previously hidden land, manage impacts of change on Arctic communities, and cooperate with researchers from other nations? The Arctic in the Anthropocene reviews research questions previously identified by Arctic researchers, and then highlights the new questions that have emerged in the wake of and expectation of further rapid Arctic change, as well as new capabilities to address them. This report is meant to guide future directions in U.S. Arctic research so that research is targeted on critical scientific and societal questions and conducted as effectively as possible. The Arctic in the Anthropocene identifies both a disciplinary and a cross-cutting research strategy for the next 10 to 20 years, and evaluates infrastructure needs and collaboration opportunities. The climate, biology, and society in the Arctic are changing in rapid, complex, and interactive ways. Understanding the Arctic system has never been more critical; thus, Arctic research has never been more important. This report will be a resource for institutions, funders, policy makers, and students. Written in an engaging style, The Arctic in the Anthropocene paints a picture of one of the last unknown places on this planet, and communicates the excitement and importance of the discoveries and challenges that lie ahead.

Governing Arctic Change

Governing Arctic Change PDF

Author: Kathrin Keil

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-12-09

Total Pages: 319

ISBN-13: 1137508841

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This volume explores the governance of the transforming Arctic from an international perspective. Leading and emerging scholars in Arctic research investigate the international causes and consequences of contemporary Arctic developments, and assess how both state and non-state actors respond to crucial problems for the global community. Long treated as a remote and isolated region, climate change and economic prospects have put the Arctic at the forefront of political agendas from the local to the global level, and this book tackles the variety of involved actors, institutional politics, relevant policy issues, as well as political imaginaries related to a globalizing Arctic. It covers new institutional forms of various stakeholder engagement on multiple levels, governance strategies to combat climate change that affect the Arctic region sooner and more strongly than other regions, the pros and cons of Arctic resource development for the region and beyond, and local and trans-boundary pollution concerns. Given the growing relevance of the Arctic to international environmental, energy and security politics, the volume helps to explain how the region is governed in times of global nexuses, multi-level politics and multi-stakeholderism.

Future Arctic

Future Arctic PDF

Author: Edward Struzik

Publisher: Island Press

Published: 2015-02-03

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 1610914406

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In one hundred years, or even fifty, the Arctic will look dramatically different than it does today. As polar ice retreats and animals and plants migrate northward, the arctic landscape is morphing into something new and very different from what it once was. While these changes may seem remote, they will have a profound impact on a host of global issues, from international politics to animal migrations. In Future Arctic, journalist and explorer Edward Struzik offers a clear-eyed look at the rapidly shifting dynamics in the Arctic region, a harbinger of changes that will reverberate throughout our entire world. Future Arctic reveals the inside story of how politics and climate change are altering the polar world in a way that will have profound effects on economics, culture, and the environment as we know it. Struzik takes readers up mountains and cliffs, and along for the ride on snowmobiles and helicopters, sailboats and icebreakers. His travel companions, from wildlife scientists to military strategists to indigenous peoples, share diverse insights into the science, culture and geopolitical tensions of this captivating place. With their help, Struzik begins piecing together an environmental puzzle: How might the land’s most iconic species—caribou, polar bears, narwhal—survive? Where will migrating birds flock to? How will ocean currents shift? And what fundamental changes will oil and gas exploration have on economies and ecosystems? How will vast unclaimed regions of the Arctic be divided? A unique combination of extensive on-the-ground research, compelling storytelling, and policy analysis, Future Arctic offers a new look at the changes occurring in this remote, mysterious region and their far-reaching effects.

Future Security of the Global Arctic

Future Security of the Global Arctic PDF

Author: Lassi Heininen

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-01-26

Total Pages: 141

ISBN-13: 1137468254

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In the globalized Arctic there has been a transformation from military security to human security. Climate change, the utilization of Arctic resources and other global challenges have caused the Arctic 'paradox' and a need to redefine security.

Energy Security and Geopolitics in the Arctic

Energy Security and Geopolitics in the Arctic PDF

Author: Hooman Peimani

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2013-04-01

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 981440148X

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This book sheds light on how global warming has caused the ongoing environmental disaster in the Arctic, namely its melting. This development, if left unabated, will have a major negative environmental impact, not only on the Arctic itself, but on the entire planet, including the worsening of global warming and rising sea levels. The latter is a major threat to all island countries and all countries having coastlines with open seas with major environmental, social, economic, political and military/security implications. The Arctic melting is bringing about challenges while opening doors for certain opportunities. These are the accessibility of the region's large oil, gas and coal reserves and minerals, including rare earth elements. They are in demand both in the Arctic littoral states (Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Norway, Russia and USA) and the Greater Arctic countries (Iceland, Finland and Sweden) as well as in other parts of the world. In particular, major oil and gas importers (China, India, Japan and South Korea) are interested in the Arctic energy resources, the main non-regional countries with a capability to engage in the region. The obvious importance of the regional energy and mineral resources makes the division of the region among the regional countries crucial. The melting of the Arctic ice will also lead to the availability for at least a few months a year of a Northern Sea Route and a Northwest Passage connecting Europe to North America and the North-Eastern part of Asia. The importance of these northern routes and the Arctic mineral and energy resources is contributing to a growing military presence of mainly the USA and Russia in this region, which could lead to an arms race. This book offers invaluable insights on the issues that have grave implications for energy security and geopolitics in the arctic. Contents:Introduction (Hooman Peimani)Is the Arctic Melting?From White to Blue: The Shrinking Arctic Cryosphere (Shawn J Marshall)Possible Changes of the Russian Arctic Environment Under the Influence of Natural and Anthropogenic Factors (Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Makeev)What are the Stakes for the Littoral States?The Transnational Arctic and Russia (Nadezhda Klimovna Kharlampyeva)Norway and Russia: Neighbours with Strong Interests in the Arctic (Arild Moe)What are the Interests of the Non-Regional Large Economies?The Arctic: Geopolitics, International Relations and Energy Security — A View from India (Neil Gadihoke)The Arctic and Japan: Energy Security and Climate Security (Hiroshi Ohta)The Arctic Governance and the EU “Soft Power” (Danila Bochkarev)Conclusion (Hooman Peimani) Readership: Graduates and researchers studying energy economics, governments, embassies, military institutes, research institutes, international organizations, environmental entities, energy (oil, gas and coal) and mining corporations and shipping companies. Keywords:Arctic;Melting Arctic Ice;Arctic Shrinkage;Arctic Council;Northern Sea Route;Northwest Sea Passage;Oil Exploration;Gas Exploration;Energy Security;Geopolitics;Global Warming;Rising Sea LevelsKey Features:Only book on the Arctic focussing not just on environmental issues, but also on political, economic, energy and military/security issues geared towards the ArcticSignifies the emerging climate change-energy security-conflict nexusPolicy-oriented work designed for decision-makers