Arctic

A Warmer Arctic Makes for Hotter Geopolitics

The Arctic Circle is technically defined as all the space located at a latitude of roughly 66.34 north, and where there is at least one 24-hour period of both total daylight and total darkness per year. Others consider the region as anywhere north of the tree line, or where average summer temperatures never rise above 10 degrees Celsius. But in the simplest terms, the Arctic is a donut that sits atop the Earth; an enclosed sea surrounded by frosted land.

Natural resources remain the primary driver of economic and development activity in the Arctic. The region is estimated to contain 20-25 percent of untapped global oil and gas reserves, as well as deposits of rare earth elements and other, strategically important minerals including platinum, palladium, uranium and cobalt. While no commercial fishing currently takes place in the High Arctic, fish stocks around the periphery are already exploited by nearby countries. Timber, coal and animal products are also valuable resources for the small local populations in the near-Arctic.