The Arctic is pretty unique. It's a place where allies like the US and Canada feud, Russia is still arguably the dominant power and the United States can casually announce a claim to an area more than twice the size of California.

But with access to Arctic resources as a draw - this unique setting is likely to see far more competition in the coming years. And so today, let's chill a bit, and talk Arctic competition.

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/PerunAU

Relevant reading (incomplete):

Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/commission_purpose.htm#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20Commission,nautical%20miles%20(M)%20from%20the

Annex 2
https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/annex2.htm

Reporting on US 2023 claims
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-22/us-claims-huge-chunk-of-seabed-amid-strategic-push-for-resources

Canada Arctic and Northern Policy Framework
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1560523306861/1560523330587

Canada Arctic National Strategy
https://sencanada.ca/Content/Sen/Committee/441/POFO/briefs/POFO_SS-1_Brief_ARF_e.pdf

Canada launching fifth AOPS
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/12/halifax-shipyard-launches-canadas-fifth-arctic-and-offshore-patrol-ship/

USGC Arctic Strategic Outlook and Strategic Outlook Implementation Plans
https://www.uscg.mil/Portals/0/Images/arctic/Arctic_Strategy_Book_APR_2019.pdf

https://media.defense.gov/2023/Oct/25/2003327838/-1/-1/0/ARCTIC%20STRATEGIC%20OUTLOOK%20IMPLEMENTATION%20PLAN%20508%20COMPLIANT.PDF

CRS - Changes in the Arctic
https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R41153.pdf

CRS - Strategic Competition in the Arctic (statement before the House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security)
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/TE/TE10084/2

Pre-invasion reporting on Russia's Project 10510 icebreakers
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/05/russias-nuclear-powered-icebreaker-leader-to-become-operational-in-2027/

US national strategy for the Arctic
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/National-Strategy-for-the-Arctic-Region.pdf

CRS - Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter Program
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24364408/rl34391-6.pdf

Featured images of Arctic claims:
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-map-shows-all-country-s-claims-on-the-arctic-seafloor

Russia's ECS claim
https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/rus02_rev23/20230710ScRusRev2SumWeb.pdf

CIA Icebreaker estimates
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/icebreakers/

Reporting on Project 22220 ships
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/11/russian-first-serial-project-22220-nuclear-icebreaker-starts-sea-trials/

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/11/russian-baltic-shipyard-launches-the-4th-project-22220-icebreaker-yakutia/#prettyPhoto

Featured report on ship needing rescue in the arctic
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-13/luxury-ship-charging-33-000-a-person-awaits-rescue-in-greenland-s-arctic

Canadian seafloor claims
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-to-file-arctic-seafloor-claim-this-week-1.2447166

Featured image of the Prirazlomnaya platform
https://medium.com/una-nca-snapshots/the-melting-arctic-a-frontier-for-fossil-fuel-development-be27e98ae783

NASA - sea ice extent visualisation
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3213/2022-arctic-summer-sea-ice-tied-for-10th-lowest-on-record/

Reporting on the 2019 Pompeo speech
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/climate/pompeo-arctic-china-russia.html

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pompeo-canada-russia-china-arctic-1.5125293

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/reaction-secretary-state-mike-pompeos-speech-rovaniemi-finland-arctic-council-ministerial-meeting/

Denmark claiming North Pole seafloor reporting (2014)
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/12/15/370980109/denmark-claims-part-of-the-arctic-including-the-north-pole

Caveats & Comments:

All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular – I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions.

Also, this video is not an authoritative description of international law, please read up on the topic and consider seeking legal advice if it is relevant to you or decisions you make.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 — Opening Words
00:01:09 — What Am I Talking About?
00:02:08 — Welcome To The Arctic
00:04:34 — How Do You Claim The Arctic?
00:12:01 — Why Do You Claim The Arctic?
00:17:26 — The Arctic States & Organisations
00:22:25 — Claims And Disputes
00:26:44 — Arctic Operations & Security
00:32:32 — The Players & Assets
00:46:09 — Russia, Breakers & Missed Chances
01:01:41 — Channel Update