THE ARCTIC COUNCIL 2019

Transcription

1 THE ARCTIC COUNCIL 2019 BACKGROUND GUIDE CHAIRS SINAN BRUCE TRISTAN OHLER LEXINGTON 1

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR: Hello delegates of the Arctic Council of LEXMUN, My name is Tristan Ohler and my co-chair is Sinan Bruce. We are very excited to be chairing a committee made up of several powerful and meaningful countries and delegates. We believe that the arctic council is likely the most meaningful council in the United nations due to its impacts on the environment and the future of humanity. I am a Junior at LHS and my cochair is a senior. We have both been in MUN for many years in high school and are excited to see where this committee leads. COMMITTEE DESCRIPTION The Arctic Council is an international forum where countries can discuss issues or pass resolutions recommending amendments or enforcement of international law relating to the Arctic region. Six member states: Canada, Denmark (representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Iceland, Norway, Russia, and the United States, and nine observer states will be represented: China, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Commercial entities and NGO s such as Maersk, Gazprom, Exxon Mobil, COSCO, and Greenpeace, will also be represented. Delegates can use directives to claim exclusive economic zones, and build oil rigs. 2

3 SHIPPING: Due to climate change, the arctic ice cap is rapidly melting and exposing many valuable resources such as natural gas, oil, and shipping routes. With time, these resources can be exploited to a greater degree as the ice shelf retreats and disappears. The Arctic Ocean was long considered to be an impassable body of water until the current global warming started. As the ice thins or even disappears, the Arctic region is becoming more and more attractive to nations for the shipping of goods. Two new shipping lanes which are opening up. One of them is the Northeast passage, which runs along the Scandinavian and Siberian coasts and exits at the Bering Strait, allowing for easier shipping between the Asian and European markets. The other new shipping lane is the Northwest passage, which runs along in between Canada s Baffin Island and Greenland, through Canada s countless far north islands and the northern Alaskan coast, and also exits at the Bering Strait, allowing for easier shipping between the North American and Asian markets. Both of these new shipping lanes will cut travel time and, ironically, greenhouse gas emissions for cargo ships. NATURAL GAS: The Arctic also has great potential in the energy sector. This rapid melting means that oil and natural gas deposits in the Arctic are also becoming increasingly exploitable. The Arctic contains a large amount of oil and natural gas: United States Geological Survey estimates that the Arctic contains approximately 13 percent of the world's undiscovered conventional oil resources and about 30 percent of its undiscovered conventional natural gas resources. (King) 3

4 Many countries and their respective gas companies are eyeing the region for extraction. Currently, oil prices are too low, the cost of infrastructure to construct platforms is too high for Arctic drilling to start in earnest, while fracking is a much more financially safe investment. However, should gas prices go up and research once drilling techniques continue to be successful, gas companies can attempt construction of oil wells in the Arctic Sea. 4

5 CLAIMS The UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) states that countries can claim exclusive economic zones (EEZ) for fishing, drilling, and toll collection, for up to 200 nautical miles from their coast, and even more if they can prove that their continental shelf extends farther (the United States is not a signatory of the convention). Most countries around the Arctic Ocean didn t see the need to solve their disputes over their EEZs before, but now these claims are more important than ever. Below is a map showing all the claims of different countries around the Arctic Circle. The Lomonosov Ridge is a geographical oddity in the Arctic ocean that both Russian and Denmark have been trying to prove connects to their respective continents continental shelf. Whichever country wins the legal battle can claim a 200 nautical mile EEZ around the Lomonosov ridge, which neither party wants to lose. The fact that Denmark is a NATO member makes this situation even more delicate. 5

6 CLAIMS CONTINUED It is clear that the Arctic has great strategic value, but how can countries enforce their claims and sovereignty to these assets? Since Canada has a very weak military and relies on the US for protection, the US has been routinely violating Canada s sovereignty in the Arctic through shipping through the Northeast Passage and not paying Canada any toll fees. This has been a point of tension between these close countries. Russia on the other hand has been rearming old Soviet bases in the Arctic as well as building new bases to enforce their claim to almost 50% of the Arctic Ocean s area, as well as constructing a new fleet of modern icebreakers to assist shipping through the Northwest passage. Russia sees climate change as a way out of their timeless geopolitical situation of being effectively landlocked by other powers due to geography. Climate change will also weaken their enemies, and Russia wants to capitalize on this new development as much as it can. Non-Arctic countries in the Arctic Council have a vested interest in the Arctic, and are eyeing developments closely. China sees the opening of the Arctic as beneficial for their newfound economic clout, as these potential shipping routes can make their economy more accessible. In August 2017, China s investment in the Arctic region reached $90 billion, and is a part of their larger One Belt One Road initiative. These investments come in the form of claiming about 30% of the Russian US Yamal liquified natural gas stake, opening up a nickel mine in Nunavik, Canada, etc. (Sevunts 2017). Unlike the US, China has ratified UNCLOS and respects Russian and Canadian sovereignty or claims in the Arctic. With all these factors, China is a key player in the great game in the Arctic, and can with time, pressure other countries to its will. 6

7 CLAIMS CONTINUED Meanwhile, conservationists and environmental groups have been increasingly concerned with the alarming rate of melting in the Arctic Ocean. It is a known danger that rising sea levels will endanger coastal cities all around the world. In addition, species like the polar bear could become endangered or extinct if their natural habitat ceases to exist, and extracting more fossil fuels will only exasperate the current global warming crisis. The Arctic Council also represents various indigenous groups like the Inuits in Canada and Greenland or the Saami in Northern Scandinavia. These indigenous groups lifestyle are getting severely disrupted as they are affected by the changing circumstances around the Arctic, and are displaced from their homes as new military and economic infrastructure develops. All of these issues can easily be solved through cooperation, negotiation, and passing resolutions to reach agreeable solutions to problems so that tensions in the region can be decreased. 7

8 QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER Should the UNCLOS be amended? How should sovereignty be enforced in the Arctic Ocean? How can conflicting EEZ claims in the Arctic Ocean be solved? Can the Arctic Ocean be demilitarized? Should the Arctic Ocean be considered international waters? To what degree should the Arctic nations commit to conservation in the area? What role should the Non Arctic Observer states play in the Arctic Ocean? How should indigenous groups that live around the Arctic be treated? 8

9 BLOCS Arctic Council members Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Russia, United States Arctic Council observer countries China, France, India, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom NGOs and Companies with vested interest Exxon Mobil, BP, Maersk, Gazprom, COSCO, Greenpeace 9

10 SOURCES CaspianReport. "Geopolitics of the Arctic." YouTube. YouTube, 09 Nov Web. 02 Jan. 2019, CaspianReport. "Putin's Arctic Ambitions." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Nov Web. 02 Jan. 2019, "EGBCM Meeting." Arctic Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan N.p., n.d. Web, sao-levi "Oil and Natural Gas Resources of the Arctic." Geology. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2019, geology.com/articles/arctic-oil-and-gas/ United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. United Nations, convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf. Sevunts Levon. China s Arctic Road and Belt gambit. The Barents Observer. The Independent Barents Observer AS, 03 Oct Web. 02 Jan Marex. Unconstrained Chinese Investment in the Arctic Questioned. The Maritime Executive. The Maritime Executive, 16 Aug Web. 26 Dec