Great Power Competition in the Arctic

The climate and geopolitics of the Arctic are changing rapidly as the region warms much faster than other parts of the world. There may be ice-free summers in the Arctic Ocean in less than two decades, creating new possibilities for commercial shipping and resource extraction. Melting ice sheets are leading to sea level rise and coastal erosion. Wildfires have become more common and permafrost is thawing, affecting both people and wildlife across the region. Geopolitics has also returned to the region. Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine revived the high north and the Arctic as areas of heightened strategic interest, especially with Finland and Sweden joining NATO and relinquishing traditions of neutrality. The United States and like-minded members of the Arctic Council are grappling with how to revitalize this unique regional grouping of governments and non-governmental indigenous participating parties that includes Russia. Meanwhile, China’s presence and investments in the Arctic region have increased. The Project on Great Power Competition in the Arctic examines the region’s changing geopolitics through a series of meetings.