A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI) finds that the build-up of Arctic military
capabilities is limited, with few indications that conflict is
looming. According to the study, all five Arctic states –
Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States – have
increased their military capabilities in the Arctic in recent
years in response to growing accessibly to the region owed
largely to climate change. Some of the increased military
activity is likely a response to the changing geostrategic
environment that will make military capabilities increasingly
important for power projection that states need to maintain in
order to secure access to lucrative natural resources and other
national interests. According to the SIPRI study, for example,
“Russia’s Arctic policy underlines the importance of the Arctic
as a principal source of natural resources by 2020,” and
“Denmark’s defence policy underlines the changing geostrategic
significance of the Arctic.” Despite the incre