Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ndmmz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-21T01:28:23.563Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An Arctic ‘cold rush’? Understanding Greenland's (in)dependence question

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2017

Page Wilson
Page Wilson*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (plw@hi.is; page.wilson@gmail.com)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Over the last decade claims that an Arctic ‘cold rush’ is taking place have intensified. Proponents of the argument contend that the unprecedented effects of climate change plus strong global demand for the region's natural resources are creating the conditions for a future economic boom. In both of these respects, Greenland merits particular attention. Some recent predictions suggest great riches accruing to Greenland, on account of its abundance of oil, gas and mineral deposits; as a consequence, some further argue, Greenlandic independence from Denmark is assured. In response, this article contests these arguments. For now, the natural and mineral resource sector in Greenland is tiny, and thus it is still much too soon to know whether it will even deliver the dazzling economic outcome forecast – let alone whether or not this outcome will benefit Greenland. In addition, the question of Greenlandic independence does not simply boil down to economics, but also raises various social, political, legal and strategic issues which are not easily resolvable. Consequently, Greenland's independence from Denmark is not simply a matter of time, but remains very much an open question.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 53 , Issue 5 , September 2017 , pp. 512 - 519
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ackrén, M. (2014). Greenland's paradiplomatic relations. In: Heininen, L. (Ed.). Security and sovereignty in the North Atlantic (pp. 42–61). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Bertelsen, P. (2009, January 19). The age of the Arctic [speech delivered to Arctic Frontiers conference]. Retrieved from http://www.arcticfrontiers.com/downloads/arctic-frontiers-2009/conference-presentations-6/monday-19-january-2009/742-06-per-berthelsen/file.Google Scholar
Boersma, T., & Foley, K. (2014). The Greenland gold rush: promises and pitfalls of Greenland's energy and mineral resources. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution. Retrieved from http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/reports/2014/09/24-greenland-energy-mineral-resources-boersma-foley/24-greenland-energy-mineral-resources-boersma-foley-pdf-2.pdf.Google Scholar
Borgerson, S. G. (2013, August 13). The coming Arctic boom. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/global-commons/2013-06-11/coming-arctic-boom.Google Scholar
Breum, M., & Chemnitz, J. (2013, February 20). No, Greenland does not belong to China. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/opinion/no-greenland-does-not-belong-to-china.html?r=0.Google Scholar
Breum, M. (2015). The Greenland dilemma. Copenhagen: Royal Danish Defence College.Google Scholar
Bull, H. (2012). The anarchical society: a study of order in world politics (4th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Chatham House. (2013). The cold rush: Iceland's pursuit of Arctic riches [motion picture]. Retrieved from https://www.chathamhouse.org/file/cold-rush-icelands-pursuit-arctic-riches.Google Scholar
Committee for Greenlandic Mineral Resources to the Benefit of Society. (2014). To the benefit of Greenland. Nuuk & Copenhagen: University of Greenland & University of Copenhagen. Retrieved from http://news.ku.dk/greenland-natural-resources/rapportandbackgroundpapers/To_the_benefit_of_Greenland.pdf.Google Scholar
Conley, H. (2012). A new security architecture for the Arctic. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved from http://csis.org/files/publication/120117_Conley_ArcticSecurity_Web.pdf.Google Scholar
Dollerup-Scheibel, M. (2014, December 5). Arch rivals form coalition government in Greenland. Nordic Labour Journal. Retrieved from http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/nyheter/news-2014/article.2014-12-03.0884487863.Google Scholar
Embassy of the United States (Copenhagen). (2007, November 7). Shaping Greenland's future [cable report]. Retrieved from https://wikileaks.org/cable/2007/11/07COPENHAGEN1010.html.Google Scholar
Emmerson, C. (2010). The future history of the Arctic. New York, NY: Public Affairs.Google Scholar
Evans, G. (1998). The penguin dictionary of international relations. London: Penguin.Google Scholar
Folketing [Danish Parliament]. (2009). Act on Greenland Self-Government. Retrieved from http://naalakkersuisut.gl/~/media/Nanoq/Files/Attached%20Files/Engelske-tekster/Act%20on%20Greenland.pdf.Google Scholar
GoG. (2003). Report of the Commission on Self-Governance. Nuuk: Naalakkersuisut/Government of Greenland. Retrieved from http://naalakkersuisut.gl/da/Naalakkersuisut/Selvstyre/Selvstyrekommissionen/Betaenkning-afgivet-af-Selvstyrekommissionen.Google Scholar
GoG. (2012). Our future – your and my responsibility – towards 2025. Nuuk: Naalakkersuisut/Government of Greenland. Retrieved from http://eu.nanoq.gl/sitecore/content/Websites/uk,-d-,nanoq/Emner/News/News_from_Government/2012/12/~/media/UK_nanoq/VoresFremtid_UK_2025_net%20pdf.ashx.Google Scholar
GoG. (2014). Greenland's oil and mineral strategy 2014–2018. Nuuk: Naalakkersuisut/Government of Greenland. Retrieved from http://naalakkersuisut.gl/~/media/Nanoq/Files/Publications/Raastof/ENG/Greenland%20oil%20and%20mineral%20strategy%202014-2018_ENG.pdf.Google Scholar
GoG. (2017). List of mineral and petroleum licences in Greenland: July 3, 2017. Nuuk: Naalakkersuisut/Government of Greenland. Retrieved from https://www.govmin.gl/images/list_of_licences__20170107.pdf.Google Scholar
Government of the United States of America and Government of Denmark. (2004). Agreement between the United States of America and Denmark. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/170358.pdf.Google Scholar
Greenlandic−Danish Self-Government Commission. (2008). Report on self-government in Greenland: executive summary. Retrieved from http://naalakkersuisut.gl/~/media/Nanoq/Files/Attached%20Files/Engelske-tekster/Summary%20of%20the%20paper.pdf.Google Scholar
Hammond, A. (2014, January 21). Greenland's way forward [speech delivered to Arctic Frontiers conference]. Retrieved from http://www.arcticfrontiers.com/arctic-frontiers/archive/2014-conference/downloads/conference-presentations-3/tuesday-21-january-2014/508-02-aleqa-hammond/file.Google Scholar
Hviid, A. (2015). Til kingdom come? An analysis of Greenland as the Danish link to the Arctic. Copenhagen: Royal Danish Defence College. Retrieved from http://www.fak.dk/publikationer/Documents/Greenland.pdf.Google Scholar
Le Miere, C., & Mazo, J. (2013). Arctic opening: insecurity and opportunity. Washington, DC: International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved from https://www.iiss.org/en/publications/adelphi/by%20year/2013-7c11/arctic-opening—insecurity-and-opportunity-002c.Google Scholar
Macalister, T. (2011, July 4). Melting ice caps open up Arctic for ‘white gold rush'. Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/jul/04/ice-caps-arctic-white-gold-rush.Google Scholar
Mazo, J. (2010). Cold comfort. Survival, 52, 151–160.Google Scholar
McGwin, K. (2016a, October 28). A new supermajority coalition will govern Greenland. The Arctic Journal. Retrieved from https://www.arcticnow.com/politics-policy/2016/10/28/a-new-supermajority-coalition-will-govern-greenland/.Google Scholar
McGwin, K. (2016b, December 7). Solid majority favours Greenland independence. High North News. Retrieved from http://www.highnorthnews.com/solid-majority-favours-greenland-independence/.Google Scholar
McGwin, K. (2017, January 16). Despite backdrop of independence, Greenland's premier keeps focus on the present, not future. The Arctic Journal. Retrieved from https://www.arcticnow.com/politics-policy/2017/01/16/despite-backdrop-of-independence-greenlands-premier-keeps-focus-on-the-present-not-future/.Google Scholar
Milne, R. (2013, October 30). Greenland prime minister eyes independence from Denmark. Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4eb3e29c-416c-11e3-9073-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3blPXzEGz.Google Scholar
Molgaard, N. (2014, November 25). Greenland election: eyes on the possibilities. Arctic Journal. Retrieved from http://arcticjournal.com/politics/1163/eyes-possibilities.Google Scholar
NASA. (n.d.). Earth's frozen poles. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved from http://ice.nasa.gov/iceSheets/.Google Scholar
OECD. (2014). Education at a glance 2014 – country note: Iceland. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/edu/Iceland-Country-Note.pdf.Google Scholar
Office of the Auditor General of Canada. (2014). 2014 fall report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. Retrieved from http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_201410_e_39845.html.Google Scholar
Østergaard, M. U. (2017). The Greenlandic wish for independence: an investigation of the possibilities within free association [Master's thesis, Aalborg University]. Retrieved from http://www.martinbreum.dk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Masters-thesis-Mikkel-Underlin-Østergaard.pdf.Google Scholar
Poppel, B. (2014). Mining in Greenland – current state and plans for the future. Arctic Yearbook 2014. Retrieved from http://arcticyearbook.com/images/Arcticles_2014/Commentaries_/Poppel_AY2014_copyedit.pdf.Google Scholar
Rasmussen, M. V. (2013). Greenland geopolitics: globalisation and geopolitics in the new north [background paper for the Committee for Greenlandic Mineral Resources to the Benefit of Society]. Retrieved from http://nyheder.ku.dk/groenlands-naturressourcer/rapportogbaggrundspapir/Greenland_Geopolitics_Globalisation_and_Geopolitics_in_the_New_North.pdf.Google Scholar
Ringstrom, A., Vahl, K., & Fraende, M. (2012, December 7). Greenland passes mining projects bill, opens for cheap labor. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/07/us-greenland-legislation-opening-idUSBRE8B617G20121207.Google Scholar
Saunders, D. (2010, September 30). Oil find fuels hopes for independence in Greenland. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/oil-find-fuels-hopes-for-independence-in-greenland/article1215294/.Google Scholar
Shoumatoff, A. (2008, May). The Arctic oil rush. Vanity Fair. Retrieved from http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/05/arctic_oil200805.Google Scholar
Greenland, Statistics. (2014). Greenland in figures 2014. Retrieved from http://www.stat.gl/publ/en/GF/2014/pdf/Greenland%20in%20Figures%202014.pdf.Google Scholar
Steinberg, P. E., Tasch, J., & Gerhardt, H. (2015). Contesting the Arctic. London: IB Tauris.Google Scholar
Stephens, P. (2013, December 6). The grab for Greenland. Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/8c2b6a12-5c71-11e3-931e-00144feabdc0.html.Google Scholar
The Economist . (2015, January 21). Independence on ice. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21640224-falling-crude-prices-are-forcing-greenland-put-plans-split-denmark-independence-ice.Google Scholar
Wang, N., & Degeorges, D. (2014). Greenland and the new Arctic. Copenhagen: Royal Danish Defence College. Retrieved from http://www.fak.dk/publikationer/Documents/Greenland%20and%20the%20New%20Arctic.pdf.Google Scholar
Woodard, C. (2007, October 16). As a land thaws, so do Greenland's aspirations for independence. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1016/p01s02-woeu.html.Google Scholar