Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Diminishing permanent ice coverage in the High North is resulting in increased activity and interest in the region, with Arctic states and non-Arctic states alike competing for geopolitical, security, and economic interests. Significant economic potential exists in the Arctic due to immense reserves of natural resources such as oil, gas, rare earth minerals, fisheries, and forestries. Maritime activity is on the rise, with an increase in destination and transit shipping, tourism, research, energy exploration, fishing, and military traffic. As ice coverage recedes, commercial and military activity has risen, though it is tempered by challenging weather conditions, low oil prices, and relatively high development and extraction costs. The region is also immensely fragile and demands careful application of national and regional governance to ensure the protection of the environment, native peoples, and strategic interests of regional stakeholders. Many Arctic nations have promulgated national strategies on the region to guide their respective governments’ actions in the High North.

This research will examine the effect of maritime activity on individual national Arctic strategies. The five Arctic coastal states – Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russian Federation, and the United States – were selected due to their maritime claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); China was also selected due to its intense interest and investment in the region as a self-declared ‘near-Arctic’ state. Comparative analysis will determine whether current US Arctic policy is sufficient; if insufficient, the paper will seek to highlight specific shortcomings and provide recommendations to improve USG Arctic policy.