The West is losing the battle for the Arctic
By Peter Schechter, Opinion Contributor — 09/19/19 12:00 PM EDT
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill President Trump’s tweet that he was “looking at†purchasing Greenland from Denmark was met with amusement and derision. But the resulting bewilderment provided a useful service: It yanked back the curtain on the international scramble for the Arctic, which has gone under the radar for too long. Without an accord like the one governing Antarctica, the Arctic could well become a new source of international tension.
Western powers are falling far behind as the race for the Arctic heats up. Climate change is opening new frontiers and unleashing geopolitical forces. The sea ice that was once a barrier to commercial and military ambitions is melting away, making the Arctic region the world’s hottest real estate (sorry, couldn’t help it!). It’s home to vast fisheries, 30 percent of the world's natural gas and over $1 trillion in rare-earth minerals.
Former Coast Guard Vice Commandant Peter Neffenger, who spent four years crafting the Arctic strategy at the U.S. Coast Guard and led the 2013 U.S. delegation to the Arctic Council dialogue, recently warned on Altamar Podcast that the United States needs to step up its game. “To win a race, you actually have to be in the race,†he said. “And the U.S., to a large extent, has failed to engage in substantial ways in the Arctic… The U.S. has taken a wait-and-see attitude.â€
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https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/462155-the-west-is-losing-the-battle-for-the-arctic
