Introduction The arctic environment is being altered by climate change at an alarming rate. Increased worldwide temperatures have caused melting sea ice, which will soon lead to the Arctic being free of ice during the summer months . Greater accessibility of resources like gas and oil, as well as strategic maritime transport advantages, will occur due to this change. The newfound availability of these resources could create competition, which has the potential to lead to conflict amongst the nations laying claims in the region. This has already caused more arctic military activity or, as in the case of the United States and Canada, more plans to enhance military operations in the region . While there have been worries about conflict in the
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This policy describes the priorities of the U.S. in the region, many of which being related to the arctic environment. The U.S. seeks to “Protect the Arctic environment and conserve its biological resources”, “Ensure natural resource management and economic development are environmentally sustainable” and to “exchange scientific monitoring and research of environmental issues” . The changing arctic environment opens up opportunities for the United States but also creates new concerns for the nation. Climate change may likely cause swift fluctuations in the arctic, so it is important for the U.S. to practice flexibility and adaptability in its arctic policy. The United States is aware that the risk of climate change on arctic nations does not only directly come from climate change, but from other problems that climate change will create . This includes issues such as food scarcity, forced migration, drought, and other problems that have the potential to become threats depending on how a nation responds to these issues. Other threats may come from calamities in the arctic from the increased activities there, such as increased pollution risk or an oil spill. An event like this could potentially cause international institutions to want to set limitations on potentially harmful activities in this region, which …show more content…
It is in the interests of both nations to cooperate due to the geographical and commercial interests they share . Together they defend the North American arctic through shared programs such as NORAD and NANOOK , as well as the North Warning Systems, which are a chain of radar stations stretching from the Alaskan west all the way to Greenland . Canada and the U.S. would both like to ensure that the Northwest Passage will be protected. Canada especially is fighting for the security of this specific passage and the U.S. wants to as well, but has to do so carefully so as not to go against its long-standing policy to support the free-use of international waters. While Canada also supports freedom of the seas, it is more concerned with the shipping routes which would weave through islands in its northern territories . “These two inseparable North American allies will have to find a way to manage the relationship so that global interests and homeland security are maintained, with one not sacrificed to obtain the
This policy describes the priorities of the U.S. in the region, many of which being related to the arctic environment. The U.S. seeks to “Protect the Arctic environment and conserve its biological resources”, “Ensure natural resource management and economic development are environmentally sustainable” and to “exchange scientific monitoring and research of environmental issues” . The changing arctic environment opens up opportunities for the United States but also creates new concerns for the nation. Climate change may likely cause swift fluctuations in the arctic, so it is important for the U.S. to practice flexibility and adaptability in its arctic policy. The United States is aware that the risk of climate change on arctic nations does not only directly come from climate change, but from other problems that climate change will create . This includes issues such as food scarcity, forced migration, drought, and other problems that have the potential to become threats depending on how a nation responds to these issues. Other threats may come from calamities in the arctic from the increased activities there, such as increased pollution risk or an oil spill. An event like this could potentially cause international institutions to want to set limitations on potentially harmful activities in this region, which …show more content…
It is in the interests of both nations to cooperate due to the geographical and commercial interests they share . Together they defend the North American arctic through shared programs such as NORAD and NANOOK , as well as the North Warning Systems, which are a chain of radar stations stretching from the Alaskan west all the way to Greenland . Canada and the U.S. would both like to ensure that the Northwest Passage will be protected. Canada especially is fighting for the security of this specific passage and the U.S. wants to as well, but has to do so carefully so as not to go against its long-standing policy to support the free-use of international waters. While Canada also supports freedom of the seas, it is more concerned with the shipping routes which would weave through islands in its northern territories . “These two inseparable North American allies will have to find a way to manage the relationship so that global interests and homeland security are maintained, with one not sacrificed to obtain the