► Canada and Russia jostle to claim territory and valuable resources near the North Pole

Summary

The Arctic is becoming a battleground for resource claims, with Canada filing scientific evidence to justify its claim over vast underwater areas rich in oil and gas. As climate change melts Arctic ice, nations like Russia, the US, and Denmark are also laying competing claims. Canada is seeking to extend its territory by 2 million square kilometers, while tensions rise, particularly with Russia, which has already planted a flag at the North Pole. With the growing global interest in the Arctic, these claims could reshape geopolitical dynamics and resource exploitation in the region.

Takeaways

• 😀 Canada has a deadline to submit scientific evidence justifying its claim to Arctic resources beyond its economic zone.
• 😀 Up to 30% of the world's remaining oil and gas could lie under the Arctic ice, making the region highly contested.
• 😀 Canada aims to prove its claim over a massive underwater landmass, extending 2 million square kilometers—an area the size of three Prairie Provinces.
• 😀 Russia, the US, Norway, and Denmark are all making similar territorial claims in the Arctic, increasing global competition over the region.
• 😀 Canada’s border in the Arctic extends 200 nautical miles from its northern coastline, and it must prove its continental shelf stretches further.
• 😀 Russia has already made symbolic claims in the Arctic, including planting a flag on the North Pole's seabed in 2007, to demonstrate its interest in the region's resources.
• 😀 Climate change is accelerating the melting of Arctic ice, opening up new areas for exploration and increasing the urgency of territorial claims.
• 😀 Scientists have been surveying the Arctic seabed for over a decade to collect evidence supporting Canada's claim to the region’s resources.
• 😀 Canada’s final submission of its scientific evidence to the UN is a closely guarded secret, and the global community will be able to review it soon.
• 😀 Tensions are rising over Arctic claims, with countries like the United States potentially opposing Canada’s moves in the region due to its strategic importance.
• 😀 The future of Arctic resource exploitation is highly uncertain, as geopolitical disputes and environmental changes shape the region's accessibility.

Q & A

What significant resource might lie under the Arctic ice?

Up to 30% of the world's remaining oil and gas could be located beneath the Arctic ice.

What is the deadline Canada is facing in this context?

The deadline is for Canada to file scientific evidence justifying its claim to resources beyond its economic zone in the Arctic.

What is the size of the area Canada is claiming in the Arctic?

Canada is claiming an area up to 2 million square kilometers, which is the size of three Prairie Provinces.

What action did Russia take in the Arctic in 2007?

In 2007, a Russian submarine planted the country's flag on the seabed at the North Pole, symbolizing Russia's interest in Arctic resources.

Why is the Arctic region becoming more significant in recent years?

Climate change is melting the Arctic ice, leading to growing interest from countries in the region's resources and geopolitical significance.

What is the role of scientific evidence in Canada's claim over the Arctic?

Canada needs to provide scientific evidence proving that its underwater landmass extends to the area it claims, in order to assert exclusive rights to the natural resources there.

What countries are also making similar claims to the Arctic?

The United States, Russia, Norway, and Denmark are also making claims to parts of the Arctic region.

How could Canada's timing impact its claim to the North Pole?

If Canada attempts to make its claim just before Christmas, it could face opposition from the United States, as timing is seen as politically sensitive.

What is the United Nations' role in this process?

Canada is submitting its scientific evidence to the United Nations, and the rest of the world will be able to view it sometime early next week.

What are the potential risks of countries acting alone in Arctic resource exploitation?

The Ambassador of Russia emphasized that exploitation of resources in the Arctic should be done collaboratively, as it is too dangerous for any one country to act alone.