On the top of our map of the world is the North Pole, and we can see it is surrounded by the Russia, America, Canada, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, in the midst of a vast region which is called the Arctic Ocean. This ocean is covered with ice almost all year round, and ships can’t pass through it, so why is this ocean so important? And why has it become so important in recent decades? Which countries are claiming ownership over it, and what does international law say about these claims?
Arctic Ocean is in the far north of the earth, and its adjacent small seas, and the northern parts of Russia, the USA, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden as well as Greenland and Iceland make up the “Arctic region“. The Arctic Ocean is located in the middle of this region at the North Pole and total area is 14 million sq km.
Why Arctic Ocean is important: Until a few decades ago, this part of the earth was covered with snow all year round, but in recent years due to increase in global warming, the ice in this region began to melt faster and it melts at the annual rate of 13 percent. The last few decades have seen a significant decrease in the ice here. According to experts, if the ice from the Arctic Ocean continues to melt at the same rate then this area will be completely ice free by 2035. This has posed a new strategic issue as the snow level decreases with each passing year. So coastal countries of Arctic Ocean are seeing it as an opportunity and trying to prove their ownership of as much of it as possible and are even ready to pay the price of the enmity of other countries in the region. There are two main reasons for this:
- According to experts, it contains 22 percent of the undiscovered mineral resources in our oceans. Under these circumstances, any coastal country would want to control as much of it as possible and become the owner of the mineral deposits, while in addition the claimant country will have the rights to fish within the claimed limits.
- The Northern Sea route and North Western Passage will also become conducive to shipping in coming years. So the coastal countries would also like to have control over these shipping lanes and ports that might be established in their areas.
- Comparing these new shipping routes with the shipping routes now used make it easy to understand why these new shipping lanes are important, Through NSR, the maritime distance from Japan to North Western Europe will be reduced to 40 percent compared to the Suez Canal route, and of course the cost of trade through this route will be very low. Similarly through the NWP maritime distance from Japan to New York (USA) will be reduced by 17 percent of the Panama Canal route. In these circumstances it would be economically beneficial for claimant countries. In 2017 a Russian LNG tanker travelled from Europe to Asia via the NSR without resorting to an ice-breaker and a Russian official says that trip lasted only six and a half days.
Pakistan is very far from the Arctic Ocean, but cannot be pleased with the prospect of having to take sides in disputes involving an EU member like Denmark and Canada. It cannot help but benefit from the boost to world trade from the NWP or BSR, but it would not like involvement in the disputes that may arise. It must keep an eye on developments
Claims of Arctic Nations: According to the United Nations Law of Seas, the sea from the coast of any country up to 200 nautical miles. Falls within the territorial boundaries of that country. Within these limits, this country will have control and rights over (a) shipping (b) fishing (c) drilling. This range is called the country’s Exclusive Economic Zones. According to the same law, if a country succeeds in providing on technical grounds that it had more maritime boundaries then its limit can be extended. Some of the same provisions of this law also make it complicated. Coastal states have claims for specific reasons, over specific part of the Arctic Ocean, and it is also becoming a point of contention looking at the claims from the USA, Russia, Canada, and Denmark.
Russia claim: Russia covers 53% of the coastline of the Arctic Ocean and Russia claims the ownership of much of the Arctic Ocean in addition to its EEZ. Russia had also formally submitted its claim to the UN. Russia claims that the geological features of mountain ranges with in the Arctic ocean are very similar to mountain ranges found on land in Russian territory, as in extension there the ownership of this mountain range should be given to Russia, but interestingly the part that is claimed by Russia is also claimed by Denmark because of Greenland which falls in its territory.
Canada claims: Canada claims due to extension of its continental shelves, thus the claims of these countries overlap. Although the conflict is not yet severe, it can become severe as the ice melts and the possibility of war can also arise among Arctic nations over claims. In the Arctic ocean there is conflict between Canada and Denmark. Canada claims Hans Island in the Nares Strait in the Arctic Ocean as its own as does Denmark. However no mineral deposits have been discovered there, rather it is just a rock, but the acquiring country will have the right to search and extract minerals in its vicinity. Therefore this conflict is also intensifying.
Canada also claims that NWP passes through its territorial waters and the rest of the world should get regular permission for using it, but the USA and the rest of the world is of the opinion that this route is in international waters and doesn’t require permission to pass. Adjacent to the Arctic region there is the Beaufort Sea, in which the boundary lines drawn by Canada and the USA overlap and, according to experts, the region is rich in resources so both countries want to own it. Similarly Russia has more control over NSR and has military bases on its shores and the USA has strong reservations about it. The conflict is not only among Arctic nations but China also has special interest in this region as it is near Arctic state and wants to build the Polar Silk Route with Russia and in near terms China will emerge as a party to the conflict. No agreement has yet been reached between the Arctic countries on this issue, but and Arctic council is there for coordination, cooperation and interaction between these countries.
This sea importance can also be gauged from the fact that during WW-II when Germany invaded the USSR, it was not possible for allies at that time to help the Soviets by way of the Black Sea or the Baltic Sea or through the Persian Gulf because these were a very long way off. So the possible shortest and quickest way was through the Arctic Ocean. The UK first provide assistance to the USSR through it, and following in its footsteps the USA in the same way provided assistance to the USSR which proved very helpful for the Soviets in throwing back Germany.
Pakistan is very far from the Arctic Ocean, but cannot be pleased with the prospect of having to take sides in disputes involving an EU member like Denmark and Canada. It cannot help but benefit from the boost to world trade from the NWP or BSR, but it would not like involvement in the disputes that may arise. It must keep an eye on developments.
