Adapting to a Changing World: The United States, Climate Change, and the Arctic Maritime Commons
Abstract
A new Arctic maritime commons is opening as a tangible reality of climate change. In the next two decades, portions of the Arctic will be largely ice free for many months of the summer. With the retreat of the Arctic ice, new direct shipping routes between the Atlantic and Pacific will open. Additionally, this will bring access to a wealth of untapped natural resources, including 25% of the world's remaining undiscovered reserves of oil and natural gas. Changes in the Arctic have already brought a growing surge of maritime claims and commercial activity. The neighboring nations of Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Russia seek to extend their claims beyond the traditional 200 nautical mile limit. The United States must answer two questions in determining how it will adapt in a changing Arctic. First, what strategic interests does the United States have in the region and what role will the country take in an ice-free Arctic? Second, what is the nature of the command and control organization required for the United States to operate in this emerging maritime commons? The Arctic Ocean is a region of vital national interest to the United States. With its rich natural resources, commercial shipping interests, and conflicting maritime claims it represents a new maritime domain that is also a potential hot bed of dispute and conflict. For the United States to exert a leadership position in the Arctic, it must participate in international treaties that provide mechanisms for resolving conflicts over maritime claims. The United States is the sole Arctic nation not to have signed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Furthermore, the demands of the Arctic require a unique command and control structure capable of dealing with the remote, hostile environment and multi-national character of the region.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 05, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA476708
Entities
People
- W. E. Schlauder
Organizations
- Naval War College