Source: National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Related:
An excerpt from, "The Arctic: A View From Moscow" By Dmitri Trenin and Pavel K. Baev, Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, 2010, pg. 9:
According to the document, “Foundations of Russian Federation state Policy in the Arctic through 2020 and Beyond,” which the russian president approved in 2008, russia views the Arctic as a strategic resource base that it can expand by delimiting the Arctic waters. The strategy is based on international law and reaching agreements with the other Arctic countries.At the same time, moscow intends to establish optimal conditions for operating there by being able to “guarantee military security in various military-political situations.” Although this statement sounds ominous, it refers to cold war–era forces deployed on the Kola Peninsula, Novaya Zemlya, and other Arctic locations—forces that have been scaled back substantially since the end of the cold war. The russian Defense ministry has made no request to beef up these contingents. isolated statements by officials like russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev and paratroop commander General Vladimir shamanov have remained just that—isolated. indeed, in other statements Patrushev has “ruled out” the possibility of war in the Arctic, and Foreign minister sergei Lavrov has said there are no grounds for “seeing the Arctic as a potential conflict zone.” The russian authorities will defend their national interests in international bodies.russia plans to document its claims to territory lying beyond its current economic zone before the end of 2010 and to establish the outer borders of its Arctic zone by 2015 in order to “exercise on this basis russia’s competitive advantages in the production and transport of energy resources,” according to the russian Arctic strategy paper. if russia’s diplomatic efforts succeed, by 2020 the Arctic will become “one of the russian Federation’s leading strategic resource bases.”
An excerpt from, "Canadian Arctic Defence Policy: A Synthesis of Key Documents, 1970 - 2013" (PDF) By Ryan Dean, P. Whitney Lackenbauer and Adam Lajeunesse, University of Calgary, 2014, pg. 57 - 59:
In July 2009, the Harper Government articulated its Northern Strategy in a major policy document. It began with a strong appeal to identity politics and the North’s central place in emerging domestic and international contexts:Canada's far North is a fundamental part of Canada – it is part of our heritage, our future and our identity as a country. The North is undergoing rapid changes, from the impacts of climate change to the growth of Northern and Aboriginal governments and institutions. At the same time, domestic and international interest in the Arctic region is rising. This growing interest underscores the importance of Canada to exert effective leadership both at home and abroad in order to promote a prosperous and stable region responsive to Canadian interests and values.Accordingly, the Government of Canada framed its northern vision around the ideas that:
- self-reliant individuals live in healthy, vital communities, manage their own affairs and shape their own destinies;
- the Northern tradition of respect for the land and the environment is paramount and the principles of responsible and sustainable development anchor all decision-making and action;
- strong, responsible, accountable governments work together for a vibrant, prosperous future for all – a place whose people and governments are significant contributing partners to a dynamic, secure Canadian federation; and
- we patrol and protect our territory through enhanced presence on the land, in the sea and over the skies of the Arctic.
Its integrated Northern Strategy emphasized four equally important and mutually reinforcing priorities:
- Exercising our Arctic Sovereignty
- Promoting Social and Economic Development
- Protecting our Environmental Heritage
- Improving and Devolving Northern Governance
In setting the strategic context, the Northern Strategy stated that:International interest in the North has intensified because of the potential for resource development, the opening of new transportation routes, and the growing impacts of climate change. In September 2007, satellite imaging verified that the Northwest Passage had less than 10 percent ice coverage, making it, by definition, "fully navigable" for several weeks. This was well ahead of most recent forecasts. Although the Northwest Passage is not expected to become a safe or reliable transportation route in the near future, reduced ice coverage and longer periods of navigability may result in an increased number of ships undertaking destination travel for tourism, natural resource exploration or development.Rather than dwelling on competition and conflict, the document affirmed that “Canada has a strong history of working with our northern neighbours to promote Canadian interests internationally and advance our role as a responsible Arctic nation” and that “cooperation, diplomacy and international law have always been Canada's preferred approach in the Arctic.” It highlighted the United States as “an exceptionally valuable partner in the Arctic,” including on safety and security issues (with specific reference to search and rescue). It also emphasized opportunities for cooperation with Russia and “common interests” with European Arctic states, as well as a shared commitment to international law. Implicitly, this confirmed that bilateral and multilateral engagement remained key to stability and security in the region. In reaffirming the central roles of the Arctic Council in circumpolar dialogue and of the Law of the Sea as “an extensive legal framework” providing “a solid foundation for responsible management by the five Arctic Ocean coastal states and other users of this Ocean,” the overall tenor is optimistic and positive.
Video Title: What Security Threats Do Russia and China Pose to Canada's Arctic? Source: The News Forum. Date Published: July 27, 2022. Description:
Nima sits down with Dr. Rob Huebert, Arctic security expert and associate professor at the University of Calgary.
