The Arctic Region is looming as an epochal game changer. As the Arctic ice melts, a cornucopia of energy and other resources are open to possible scramble. Moreover, the Northern Passage of Canada as well as the sea passage north of Russia are likely to become more navigable, opening up much shorter sea routes for international trade that may circumvent the sea ports in the Asia-Pacific, as depicted by a Brookings Institution introductory YouTube video
It's opportune that the United States will be assuming chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2015, taking the opportunity to enhance Arctic governance. A Brookings Energy Security Initiative Report "Offshore Oil and Gas Governance in the Arctic - A Leadership Role for the U.S." dated March 2014 outlines some recommendations.
Download Improving Enegy and Resource governance of the Arctic Circle
This game-changer was heralded by Trausti Valsson in his book "How the World Will Change with Global Warming", University of Iceland Press, 2006. It was featured in my blog of 6 September, 2008 under How Green geopolitics and geo-economics will change China and the World.
As China has no legal right to any territorial claim in the Arctic Circle, the Middle Kingdom is likely to lose out in terms of claims on Arctic resources. What is even more important, the global gravitas of China's Pacific container ports is likely to wane. On the other hand, Arctic shipping routes will provide China with alternative sea routes bypassing Pacific Ocean "choke points" controlled by the United States. Click here
Hence China has been proactive in joining the Arctic Council as an approved Observer, alongside with other Asian countries i.e. India, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore. Click here
Be that as it may, the ecology of the Arctic is vital to the ecosystem of the whole planet, including ocean acidity, climate-changing currents, food chains and species survival, not to mention other global revulsions of Climate Change. There is thus irrefutable argument that the Arctic should remain a common heritage, which the Arctic "sovereign countries" should hold in trust for mankind.
It is therefore to be hoped that coming discussions to enhance Arctic governance will not morph into agreeing a plan to divide up the potentail sploils of Energy and Resource in the Arctic. More importantly, the opportunity should be taken of formulating a global agenda for the custody in trust of this relatively unspoilt treasure of Mother Earth
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