[Global Issue+] EU Slows Russia's Arctic Development... Intensifying Arctic Rivalry

"Seeking Ban on Resource Exploration and Sales to Protect the Arctic"
Russia Continues Resource Development and Military Drills in the Arctic Region... Increased Checks Expected

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The European Union (EU) has announced that it is considering banning exploration for oil and gas development in the Arctic and prohibiting the import of energy resources originating from the Arctic, raising expectations that diplomatic disputes with Russia will intensify. This is because Russia has recently been very active in Arctic development due to global warming, and its largest natural gas reserves are located within the Arctic Circle.

As Russia expands its influence in the Arctic Circle, security threats have intensified, which is interpreted as a move to block Russia's Arctic development. The United States is also wary of Russia's Arctic development due to security threats in the Arctic region, including Alaska, so it is expected that the competition among major powers over the Arctic will further intensify in the future.

EU "Seeking Ban on Resource Exploration to Protect the Arctic"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to AFP on the 16th (local time), the EU Commission announced on the 14th that it will seek to ban new exploration for oil, coal, and gas in the Arctic, which is severely affected by climate change, to protect the region. The EU Commission plans to review multilateral legal obligations with partner countries to prohibit the development of additional hydrocarbon reserves in the Arctic or adjacent areas and the purchase of hydrocarbons produced in this way. Virginijus Sinkevi?ius, the EU Commissioner for the Arctic and Environment, told Bloomberg that the EU Commission hopes for an "international agreement to halt" such development activities.

This is interpreted as a move to control Russia, known as the leading developer in the Arctic Circle. Since the 2010s, Russia has embarked on large-scale development as the Arctic Ocean's ice coverage has significantly decreased due to intensified global warming, exposing deposits of oil and natural gas. However, it has also been criticized for threatening Arctic security by expanding military bases and developing various new weapons, not just pure resource development.

Russia Expands Arctic Sea Military Ports and Airports... Also Building Missile Bases

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Russia has constructed more than 40 military ports and missile bases in the Arctic Ocean area. It is known that massive military forces are being deployed in the Arctic Circle. Additionally, various Russian military exercises and missile development tests are being conducted in the Arctic. The hypersonic missile "Kinzhal," developed in December 2019, was deployed after completing combat training in the Arctic.

The Russian government is also operating floating nuclear power plants with small reactors installed on ships to secure power for development in the Arctic Circle. These reactors can be used not only for civilian purposes but also for military nuclear power such as nuclear submarines, which has caused significant concern in the U.S. and EU.

However, Russia maintains that all of this is purely part of resource development in the Arctic Circle and national land development in its Arctic region. According to Russia's TASS news agency, the Yamal Peninsula, located in the Arctic Circle, contains Russia's largest natural gas reserves. The Russian government believes that rapid development of this area and the regular operation of Arctic shipping routes will quickly resolve Europe's energy crisis.

As global warming is expected to worsen and more natural resources in the Arctic are exposed on the surface, the competition among major powers surrounding the Arctic Ocean is also expected to become more intense.