In U.S. Arctic policy, President Barack Obama has focused on climate change. He also officially changed the name of Mt. McKinley to Denali, a decision the administration is touting as one of its Arctic accomplishments. Yet while the Obama administration views America’s Arctic territory as little more than a location for rubber-stamping its climate agenda, the rest of the world has taken serious interest in the Arctic.
The U.S. and the Arctic Council
The U.S. is the chair of the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental organization whose members include nations with Arctic territory and observer states such as France, Italy, Singapore, and China. The Obama administration has rightly viewed its chairmanship as an opportunity to highlight America’s northernmost regions but has yet to actually focus on legitimate issues there.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to expand its military presence in the Arctic, having recently finished construction of several large military bases off its northern coast. Russia has also furthered its development of oil and natural gas resources in the region.
China’s Role in the Arctic
China has sought to assert its role in the Arctic, with People’s Liberation Army Navy Rear Admiral Yin Zhou stating:
The Arctic belongs to all the people around the world as no nation has sovereignty over it. China must play an indispensable role in Arctic exploration as we have one-fifth of the world’s population.
At the 2015 Arctic Circle Conference in Iceland, the Chinese delegation commented that “China is a near-Arctic nation” and further stressed the rights of non-Arctic states in the region.
Economic Possibilities in the Arctic
Like Russia, China is interested in the economic possibilities of the Arctic, particularly its shipping lanes and fishing resources. For example, the Northern Sea Route cuts the voyage from Shanghai to Hamburg, Germany, by 4,000 miles compared with the current route through the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal. Cosco, a Chinese shipping company, announced that it is scheduling regular voyages through the Northern Sea Route. Chinese companies have also been granted rights to drill for oil in Russia and mine iron ore in Greenland.
America’s Arctic allies are also intensifying their focus on the region. Canada is pursuing economic growth through the development of natural resources, with “new mines slated to open before the end of the decade in all three territories. Mining will also bring new shipping traffic to the north.” In Nunavut, mining output is expected to “grow 7.3 percent in 2015 and 5.2 percent in 2016.” Canada has awarded more than $600 million in oil and gas exploration rights in the Arctic since 2011, and offshore commitment bids now total around $1.9 billion.
Security Issues in the Arctic
Scandinavian countries are taking security issues in the Arctic more seriously. Finland is dealing with more frequent Russian incursions into its airspace, as well as substantial immigration from Russia. These events have pushed Finland to cooperate more closely with the U.S. and NATO.
Sweden is also concerned. Swedish Minister for Defense Peter Hultqvist stated that Russia continues to carry out “bigger, more complex … more provocative and defiant exercises.” As a result, Sweden is building closer ties to NATO, having participated in NATO exercises earlier this year.
Additionally, Norway, a NATO member, is seeking to modernize its defenses because of uncertainty about Russian actions.
Energy in the Arctic
The U.S. has significant oil and natural gas resources in Alaska, yet the Obama administration has not allowed development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The Heritage Foundation has advocated for opening ANWR to oil exploration and production, which would generate more opportunities for oil production, increasing energy supplies and thus lowering energy prices. The administration recently reinstated a moratorium on offshore drilling in Alaska after Shell ceased exploration following underwhelming findings in the Chukchi Sea. Part of Shell’s rationale was the burdensome offshore energy regulatory environment in the U.S.
These decisions should be made by the private sector, not politicians in Washington. Moreover, as one of the nation’s top energy producing states, Alaska has demonstrated the ability to supply energy while protecting the environment.
Need for U.S. Involvement
The U.S. government needs to use its tenure as chair of the Arctic Council to focus on developing greater economic opportunities in Alaska, while working with its allies to promote the security and stability of the Arctic region.
