Abstract
The world’s geopolitical situation is influenced by constant warfare, growing military tension and threat of nuclear weapons, global terrorist attacks & counterattacks and fearful responses by people. There is growing geopolitical tension between Russia and the West as Russia is been seen as untrustworthy in its foreign policy, as well as lack of trust between the US and its NATO allies causing uncertainties, growing support for protectionism and distancing the US from multilateral cooperation. This provides excuses for an arms race, a growth in military expenses, constant fights against international terror, and the persistent presence of NATO to enlarge Western governing structures. These findings are important parts of the bigger geopolitical picture, which reflects world politics, the global economy, as well as global relationships between nations. However, this picture is not complete, since there are good arguments for fewer wars, less poverty, more stability and prosperity than 20 years ago. There are also common concerns about environmental degradation and global impacts of climate change, as well as common interests between the Arctic states, including the US and Russia, regarding the Arctic and Arctic issues. Interestingly, new East-West tensions have not (yet) affected the region’s high geopolitical stability, since circumpolar cooperation by states, indigenous peoples and sub-national governments remains resilient. This chapter argues that the globalized stable Arctic is an exceptional political space in world politics, and has potential to be (come) an asset for world politics. This does not result from the classical approach of Great-Game geopolitics, but from applying a critical and constructivist approaches to geopolitics and emphasizing the environment. [The chapter describes the recent transformation of Arctic geopolitics from classical to critical, analyzes common interests between the Arctic states and discusses relevant features of Arctic geopolitics & security as prerequisites for high stability, and final, concludes by asking what might be special features of Arctic geopolitics].
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Notes
- 1.
So far, this misunderstanding has had less harmful consequences, mostly causing misinformation and confusion, but it has tested the established international Arctic cooperation and might put its stability at stake (e.g., Heininen 2016).
- 2.
Interestingly, the concept of the eight Arctic states was formulated by the Rovaniemi process and confirmed by the AEPS in 1991, when the Arctic was geopolitically defined by the Arctic Circle, not the Arctic Ocean and its rim lands. Here, the Ilulissat Ministerial, defined by the five coastal states of the Arctic Ocean, can be interpreted as a throwback to the original, stricter definition of the Arctic to mean the Arctic Ocean.
- 3.
Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic (accepted in 2011), Agreement on Cooperation on Maritime Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response (accepted in 2013), and Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation (accepted in 2017).
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Heininen, L. (2019). Special Features of Arctic Geopolitics—A Potential Asset for World Politics. In: Finger, M., Heininen, L. (eds) The GlobalArctic Handbook. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91995-9_13
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