Conflicts and geopolitical issues in the Arctic
Use the resources and suggested characters for a role play/debate on conflicts and geopolitical issues in the Arctic.
Resources:
- Battle for the Arctic heats up
- Northwest Passage - The Arctic Grail
- Rush for Arctic's resources provokes territorial tussles
Characters:
Canadian politician
Issues to think about:
- Defence of national sovereignty
- Fishing, tax, shipping and smuggling laws
- Cost of mandatory 'ice-breaker' ships
Managing Director of Russian oil company
Issues to think about:
- Potential for collaboration with other national oil firms
- Cost of exploration for oil
Russian politician
Issues to think about:
- Economic impact
- Potential for exploitation of natural resources - nickel, iron ore, phosphate, copper, cobalt main market is China
- Cost of mandatory 'ice-breaker' ships
Norwegian cruise company
Issues to think about:
- Potential for tourism
US shipping company
Issues to think about:
- Possibility for new shipping routes (Trans-arctic)
- Impact on transit time and fuel costs
- Increased access to regional resources
- Development in localised shipping for resource extraction and tourism
- Any environmental impacts
Indigenous community representative (Inuit)
Issues to think about:
- Thawing permafrost impact on infrastructure (buildings, roads and pipelines) in Alaska and Siberia
- Opportunities with industries such as mining, ship building
- Impact on fishing
- Social and economic changes
- How important is it to maintain a traditional way of life
- Will you community still be able to hunt whales and seals
- How can communities work alongside large business
Environmental organisation
Issues to think about:
- Environmental impacts
