The Arctic: too hot to ignore?

The High North is almost literally the land that time forgot. After several failed attempts in the 19th century by explorers to see if its vast expanses of ice could be crossed, it was tacitly decided that the High North had little to offer - except frostbite.

Since then, the region has had little attention. Even some of the maritime charts used by cruise ships in the region date back to the 1800s.

But things are changing. The Arctic is, unlike the Antarctic, a frozen sea. Its ice is now melting. And much faster than anticipated.

This has major security implications. Borders are far from clear. Disagreements over ownership of natural resources have surfaced. And climatic changes mean the situation is evolving each week.

At present, cooperation is the order of the day. While claims have been made, and some publicity stunts have been pulled off, all parties are also sitting at the negotiating table.

In this edition of NATO Review, there is an outline what is happening in the High North and what it means for the countries concerned – and the world. NATO Review talks to leading politicians, scientists and NATO’s top military personnel to see how they view the situation.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 14.5.09: EU-Russia summit to focus on 'hard security' http://www.euractiv.com/priorities/eu-russia-summit-focus-hard-secu-news-221812

---