Mammoths of the Arctic Posturing for Oil and Gas Rights in a Fragile Environment by Ron Samson


Photo: Sarah Gilboe © Russian Federation icebreaker Yamal is one of half a dozen nuclear-powered vessels in the operational fleet.


Popular opinion has countries


bordering the Arctic Ocean believ- ing that one-quarter of the world’s gas and oil reserves lies beneath the ocean. Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States have all laid claim to territory in the region. In September 2010, a summit


was held in Moscow in an effort to prevent the Arctic from becoming a combat zone. Despite attempting to promote dialogue, one Kremlin advisor said Russia would defend its national interests. More moderate Russian Arctic expert Lev Voronkov stated, “I think we are doomed to co-operate in the Arctic. And military confrontation especially is completely counterproductive.”


33 September 2013


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