Infonorth: "Just in case" policy in the Arctic

Abstract

New economic possibilities bring new opportunities for the Arctic region, but also new dangers. The sensitive ecological system of the Arctic is threatened by several factors. One important threat is the "just in case" policy of the Arctic states that are trying to protect their ability to gain territory and access to Arctic resources. A second is the increasing amount of transportation. A tanker catastrophe (like the Shen Neng 1 spill off the coast of Australia on 3 April 2010) would have disastrous effects. The future of the Arctic depends on the ability of all stakeholders to use the Arctic sustainably and to create governance structures that will protect the environment and the populations living there.