This publication was produced as a part of IGA 671M: Coverage and Social Innovation for the Altering Arctic. The views expressed are these of the creator alone.
In 2011, Greenlandic politicians arrived at an Arctic Council assembly in Sweden to seek out they didn’t have a seat on the desk. I imply this in probably the most literal sense: the chair the place Greenland sat throughout earlier Arctic Council conferences had been moved to the again bench. As an alternative, the Kingdom of Denmark, of which Greenland is a self-governing nation, held the only real central seat.
Denmark wouldn’t be within the Arctic Council with out Greenland. Should you have a look at a map of the world from the highest, you’ll see a big island—the biggest island on the planet, in actual fact. That island, with 56,000 residents, is Greenland. And it’s the solely a part of the Kingdom of Denmark that lies throughout the Arctic.
A Better Say
Since that fateful day in 2011, Greenland has negotiated with Denmark to regain a larger say in Arctic Council affairs. In 2021, Denmark and Greenland agreed that Greenland can be the primary to talk at Arctic Council conferences and the principle signatory to declarations. Nonetheless, there haven’t been many declarations as of late.
After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Arctic Council is severely weakened. In-person conferences have stalled, and collaboration with Russia—which makes up half of the Arctic shoreline—is minimal.
In 2025, the Kingdom of Denmark will take over from Norway as a part of the rotating Arctic Council chairship. A extra outstanding function for Greenland in the course of the Kingdom’s chairship is the absolute best approach to protect Arctic Council relevance and reply to the disaster second we’re in. And it’s one thing Greenlanders have advocated for years.
