Conflict over territory and maritime routes in the arctic. The case of potential conflict between the US and Russia over resources in the arctic ocean.

Abstract

Because of climate change, ice on the arctic ocean has been melting at a rapid paste. This environmental change in the arctic made access to the region much easier than ever before. This meant that new maritime routes have been created and the accessibility to the alleged oil and gas reserves in addition to the rare minerals that exist in the area became much easier. Due to the existence of many arctic states, this dissertation focuses mostly on two military powers in the world, the US and Russia. By using content analysis of several newspaper articles, speeches and memoranda to see what are motivations behind the US and Russian claims and whether a potential conflict might occur, the results show that a military action is most likely out of the way, and that dialogue and cooperation are most likely the course of action.