Changing Arctic: Strategic Analysis of U.S. Arctic Policy and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - Paperback

by Joint Forces Staff College (Author)

As the Earth sets new record highs in temperature almost every year, the Arctic could begin experiencing ice free summers as early at 2013. With a new ocean opening up, the Arctic's future is unclear. In addition to the opening sea lines of communication, many fear that an ice free Arctic will lead to a resource race for the oil, natural gas, and minerals that the Arctic is expected to hold. Of the eight Arctic nations, only the U.S. remains non-party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Becoming a party to the convention would provide the framework necessary for the U.S. to establish its Arctic sovereignty with legal certainty and create a sustainable national Arctic policy.