From Seal Pups to an Industry 4.0: The EU and the Arctic
European Union flags. Photo: Thijs ter Haar
For our German readers only (or those who would like to become such): The German magazine WeltTrends has recently published a special Arctic issue, questioning the still existing Arctic narrative of regional conflict or cooperation (Wettlauf um die Arktis, WeltTrends 140, June 2018). Read below the abstract of Andreas’ article, co-authored with Stefan Steinicke: Von Robbenbabies zur Industrie 4.0: Die Europäische Union und die Arktis.
WeltTrends: Wettlauf um die Arktis
The Arctic is melting, and melting fast. In times of starving polar bears going viral, the Arctic has become global climate change’s canary in a coal mine. Over the last ten years, the European Union (EU) has also felt an Arctic allure, with its various bodies attempting to formulate a coherent policy approach for its “Northern Neighbourhood.” However, the EU’s regional commitment has fluctuated over the last decade as more pressing issues have arisen on Europe’s agenda. Largely, the Arctic is only of peripheral concern for EU policymakers, which leaves the region as a niche policy domain. Hence, after the EU’s decade-long northern efforts with only minor progress, one pivotal question remains: will the EU continue to devote resources to its Arctic role?
One potential new angle of EU-Arctic involvement lies in the region’s on-going digitalisation and its related economic potential as new global digital hotspot. Today’s Arctic 2.0 offers plenty opportunities not only in the range of digitalisation but also regarding renewable energy and biotech-economy. Opportunities that only wait to be recognised by the EU.
Stefan Steinicke is a Berlin-based geopolitical analyst. He can be reached at www.berlinstrategy.org.