Arctic geopolitics: from cooperation to competition
Abstract
The Arctic Ocean, traditionally a zone of peace, is experiencing a transition from exceptionalism to strategic competition between great powers. Global warming, which is advancing up to four times faster in the region than the global average, is removing the ice barrier, promising access to new trade routes and vast energy and mineral resources. New actors like China self-define as Near-Arctic States, while Russia and NATO reinforce their military presence. Current governance, centered on the Arctic Council and UNCLOS, faces diplomatic paralysis following the invasion of Ukraine, turning the region into a critical stage of dispute between powers.References
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