Info
The Arctic in Focus – Climate change, maritime resources, shipping, and Security
The Arctic's strategic significance is growing rapidly, driven by climate change, shifting geopolitical interests, and accelerating access to natural resources. Longstanding interest in its vast raw material deposits — exemplified by the complex UNCLOS negotiations over extended continental shelves — is now joined by a broader international push for influence in the region.
At the same time, scientific consensus highlights the Arctic as a climate system amplifier: warming at over four times the global average, it is both a barometer and driver of planetary change. Melting sea ice is transforming previously inaccessible zones into areas ripe for industrial exploitation and opening maritime corridors that may soon be navigable year-round.
These developments carry far-reaching implications. Emerging trade routes promise to reshape global logistics, while new access to critical resources intensifies strategic rivalries. As a result, maritime domain awareness, environmental resilience, and security architectures in the High North are gaining unprecedented relevance — both for civilian infrastructure and defence planning.
Our upcoming workshop, “The Arctic in Focus”, on 17 June 2025, will bring together experts to examine these dynamic intersections of science, policy, and strategic foresight.