Battle for the Arctic between Russia, Canada, Norway and others

Battle for Gas and Oil in the Arctic and the North Seas

By Ocean Marambanyika, University of Oslo, Norway

There is need for serious considerations of the possible dangers posed by the rising tensions over the Arctic and North Sea resources. Recently Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Canada and more countries from that side have upped their rhetoric in claiming sovereignty over large chunks of the arctic. This is confirming what experts had repeatedly said. Climate change or global warming poses a serious danger to international harmony among nations. The warming climate is opening up access to the arctic areas and business possibilities for oil explorations and shipping routes are increasing. If the competition amongst the competing powers is not addressed immediately and urgently, then this will present dilemmas to international peace and security.

War Possibilities due to the Arctic Battle?

The international community, through a reformed United Nations, must establish a commission on arctic disputes or strengthen the mandate of any existing dispute resolution organ. What will happen if Russia decides to use force against other competitors like Norway, Denmark and Iceland? Since they are members of the NATO alliance, will it mean therefore that there will be a war between Russia and NATO? In international relations terms, this cannot be dismissed. War is always a possibility in international political relations. The Charter of the United Nations clearly states that the UN was established to prevent future wars and therefore the scourge of wars. The urge is for the UN, the EU and other relevant regional bodies to make sure that the battle for the arctic does not transform into economic and political wars. That would be detrimental to the established peace in these parts of the world. An alternative will be to make the arctic an international water. This will mean that the arctic will be responsibly open to international access and be managed through the UN. Future resources from the arctic oil, gas or anything would then be put in a UN managed global fund to protect the arctic and to develop poorer regions of the globe. This is just an alternative if the competing powers don't solve their claims peacefully. Whatever they agree, there should be at least some areas freely open to international access.

Is the talk of Climate Change just rhetorical?

The fact that nations competing for the arctic are eager to protect future gas and oil discoveries means that the current discussions on finding cleaner fuels are just rhetorical. If countries are serious in saying that oil causes big pollutions, why then are they rushing for oil resources in the arctic? It means therefore that oil will be a master of energy for the unforeseeable future. This will be very sad for the environment unless technology develops better ways of drastically polluting the environment. The battle for the arctic is thus a critical reminder that the talk on saving the climate and combating negative global warming is questionable. The rush for the arctic also calls upon the human race to be mindful of the need to maintain international peace and harmony. Let this battle not spill into unnecessary destructive conflicts.

Ocean Marambanyika is a Peace, Security and Conflict Expert in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Oslo, Norway. Email: oceaniamars@yahoo.no

Battle for the Arctic between Russia, Canada, Norway and others

By: Marambanyika Ocean

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