“The power struggle in the Arctic when the ice melts,”
“the Ice in the Arctic is melting at a rapid pace – suddenly a large havsytor open.”
“It has led to military forces in the area and increased demand on natural resources. “
“– It happens in the Arctic affects the whole earth, ” says Johan Kuylenstierna, executive vice chairman of the Swedish climate policy advice. “
“Climate change is seen most clearly in the Arctic, where global warming is twice as great as in the rest of the world. And when the larger sea areas suddenly open begins the struggle for influence and control.”
“When the ice that previously limited opportunities to transport melting away the opened sea routes for shipping, where the great powers in the region the opportunity to renovate.”
“Russia has both opened and reinforced several bases in the northwest of the kola peninsula and along the entire siberian coast. Norway has strengthened its military presence and signed agreements with the united kingdom on a new defense strategy for the Arctic. The united states has announced that it will implement a marinövning in 2019 in order to increase knowledge on the Arctic, a signal that you do not want the region closed for vessel traffic. Furthermore, China has declared itself a ”near Arctic state” and developed a long-term strategy for its increased engagement in the Arctic. “
“– the Reason we see increased military activity right now is that countries are worried that the sea opened, ” says Klaus Dodds, professor of geopolitics at the University of London, to the Guardian.”
“the Area around the Arctic, despite the fact that the countries for a long time had military operations in which, always had a peaceful history. Even during the cold war, there were agreements on fisheries, research, and reindeer herding between the countries. Since 1996 there is cooperation, the Arctic council, which Sweden and the other seven arctic countries together with six organizations of indigenous peoples work together to protect the arctic environment and improve the arctic inhabitants ‘ prosperity. In addition, a number of states, permanent observers in the Arctic council.”
“Sweden’s Arktisambassadör Björn Lyrvall think that the cooperation in the Arctic council work better than many other multilateral cooperation bodies, but at the same time, the dynamics change.”
“– It is clear that there is a need to continuously monitor the security developments and to adapt to it, ” he says. “
“Nuclear submarines”
“The country increased its military activity, most of all in the region is Russia.”
“Ever since the cold war time exploits the nuclear Russian submarines ice cover on the arctic ocean to evade detection. As the sea ice melts reduces the protection for the submarines, and the potential of this andraslagsförmåga* decreases. “
“– the Conditions for Russia to operate in the Arctic change and it also affects Sweden, Finland and Norway. The ubåtsbaserade kärnvapenkapaciteten is the only thing that gives Russia strategic parity with the united states, and are therefore seen this as an almost existential issue for the Russian state. We can expect that it will involve major Russian bets and affect the säkerhetsmönstret in our northern neighborhood, ” says Niklas Granholm, head of research at the Swedish Defence research agency, FOI. “
the “Undiscovered natural gas resources”
“But the Arctic is not only important militarily, there are also hitherto unexplored natural resources both at sea and on land. 25-30 per cent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas reserves are estimated to be there. In this issue it becomes, if possible, even clearer how eager the major powers Russia and China. Both countries have, for example, invested a lot of resources on the Russian yamal peninsula, where it extracts natural gas. New gas pipelines, waterways, and ships built to transport the gas via Russia to Asia and Europe.”
“– If the sea ice melts and shallow sea areas and new areas of land are becoming more readily available as it increases the risk of exploitation, but at the same time, it can also be harder to build infrastructure in the Arctic. Climate is very tough, even with climate change. Have you not sea ice, so you have an open sea, the storms and waves, it is also a challenge for the oil rigs. Tinande permafrost makes the land transport even more difficult. In all, there will for many decades to be regarded as very challenging, and thus very expensive, to extract resources in the Arctic, ” says Johan Kuylenstierna. “
“All the experts agree that much is at stake as regards the Arctic’s future, especially as summer ice may have melted away completely already about 25 years. “
“– It is clear that with the pace in nuisance blowing that we see now will change in the Arctic to be able to be dramatic and, moreover, affect the entire planet’s climate system. The arctic sea ice has acted as earth’s refrigerator for a millennia. There is now a palpable risk to it, the fridge no longer works, ” says Björn Lyrvall.”
