Geopolitics and Security in the Arctic: Regional Dynamics in a Global World

ISBN-13: 9780415734455 / Angielski / Twarda / 2014 / 198 str.

Kristine Offerdal; Rolf Tamnes

Opis

Written by a group of leading experts, this book offers a historically informed and comprehensive study of the geopolitics and security challenges of the Arctic. The work aims to reach beyond simple description and prediction in order to explore in depth some of the main factors that will determine the future of international relations in the Arctic. It addresses the following key questions: * What is the geopolitical significance of the Arctic? * Who are the key actors and what are their interests and strategies? * What characterizes the maritime legal order, and how robust is it? * How important are the oil and gas resources of the Arctic? * What are the main characteristics of governance in the Arctic, and how can institutions and regimes promote stability and security in the region? * What are the security challenges in the region? The key underlying theme of the book is the conditions for cooperation or conflict, peace or stability in the Arctic. The volume maintains three layers of focus. The first relates to Russia. Because of its size and stature, it is the biggest stakeholder in the Arctic, and is often perceived to be the 'wild card' in Arctic affairs.The second relates to the dynamics within the Arctic. The archipelago of Svalbard has been a source of friction; what will the future bring? A warmer climate might change the migration patterns of fish stocks in the region. Will there be a risk of new 'cod wars' or 'pollock wars'? The third layer relates to developments outside the region. We cannot understand the Arctic in isolation from global developments. Energy markets, for instance, clearly have an immense effect on the potential for increased economic activity in the Arctic. Likewise, security conflicts and tensions at the global level may spill over to relations in the Arctic, potentially causing smaller incidents to escalate into something more serious. NATO-Russia antagonism has a negative influence on developments in the Arctic, and a growing presence by Asian countries can potentially impact peace and stability in the region. This book will be of much interest to students of Arctic politics, security studies, geopolitics, Russian and Scandinavian politics, and international relations in general.

Spis treści

1. Introduction, Rolf Tamnes and Kristine Offerdal  2. The geopolitics of the Arctic in a historical perspective, Rolf Tamnes and Sven G. Holtsmark  3. Arctic strategies and policies,  Kristine Offerdal  4. The legal-political regime in the Arctic,  Alf Håkon Hoel  5. Arctic petroleum resources in a regional and global perspective, Dag Harald Claes and Arild Moe  6. International environmental governance and Arctic security, Olav Schram Stokke  7. Armed forces and security challenges in the Arctic, Paal Sigurd Hilde  8. Conclusion