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Breaking the Ice

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
AuthorIulian Romanyshyn,Steffen Weber
Published date01 December 2011
Date01 December 2011
DOI10.1177/002070201106600413
Subject MatterII. The European Union and the Arctic
| International Journal | Autumn 2011 | 849 |
Steffen Weber &
Iulian Romanyshyn
Breaking the ice
The European Union and the Arctic
An accelerated path of climate change has tremendously increased the
Arctic’s prof‌ile over the last decade. Formerly remote and of little relevance,
the region now attracts signif‌icant political and economic interest as melting
ice opens possibilities for the exploitation of Arctic natural resources and
access to new trade routes. Rising temperatures and sea level as a result
of retreating snow and ice coverage also provoke global security concerns.
Consequently, interested states increasingly link the Arctic more closely to
their security and foreign policy strategies. In addition, existing territorial
disputes combined with unsettled patterns of governance and actor
constellations trigger regional developments with important implications
for international legal and political systems.
As developments in the Arctic region project themselves globally, they
will necessarily have certain repercussions for European countries and their
citizens. It is reported that about half of the f‌ish caught in polar waters are
consumed in the European Union.1 One quarter of the oil and gas extracted
Steffen Weber is the secretary general of the EU Arctic Forum in Brussels. Iulian
Romanyshyn is a researcher with the EU Arctic Forum.
1 European Environmental Agency, “Arctic environment: European perspectives—
Why should Europe care?” Environmental Issue Report 38, 2004.

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