EU joins Arctic gold rush

The EU yesterday gave its clearest signal to date that it intends to play a role in the escalating race to exploit the Arctic mineral, oil and gas resources, fishing stocks and new shipping routes that are increasingly accessible thanks to global warming.

The European Commission issued an official communication, outlining its policy towards the Arctic and claiming that while "exploitation of Arctic hydrocarbon resources and the opening of new navigation routes can be of benefit", environmental sustainability must remain a top priority for the management of the region.

Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that the communication, which has been released as the Arctic States and the six international Arctic indigenous peoples’ organisations are attending a meeting of the Arctic Council, signals the EU's willingness to work with other parties to help secure the future of the region.

"The Arctic is a unique and vulnerable region located in the immediate vicinity of Europe," she said. "The EU is ready to work with Arctic states to increase stability, to enhance Arctic multilateral governance through the legal frameworks, as well as to keep the right balance between the priority goal of preserving the environment and the need for sustainable use of natural resources including hydrocarbons."

Security analysts have grown increasingly concerned in recent years that the melting of the Arctic ice will trigger a scramble for resources between the states with an interest in the region – Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the US, Canada, Russia, and Iceland.

Various territorial disputes have already emerged, and last year Russia sent a submarine to plant a flag under the North Pole in a symbolic gesture intended to underline its claims to the region.

In May the US, Russia, Canada, Denmark and Norway agreed to try to and resolve territorial disputes in a deal that some observers interpreted as an attempt to carve up the region.

Environmentalists have also expressed fears that the melting of the Arctic ice could have the ironic effect of further accelerating climate change, by giving countries access to an estimated quarter of untapped oil and gas reserves.

However, the WWF praised the EU communication for its insistence that protecting and preserving the Arctic and promoting sustainable use of resources represent its main policy objectives in the region.

Neil Hamilton, Director of WWF International’s Arctic Programme, urged the EU to make good on its commitment to an improved multilateral governance strategy for the region.

"We are concerned that the present set of rules for the Arctic are not strong enough or broad enough to ensure environmental protection and sustainability for the region," he said.

"We have seen the damage caused by historical resource rushes in this region, and we are concerned that with the effects of climate change already being felt, any new development in the Arctic must be carefully managed. This means a comprehensive, seamless approach to Arctic governance rather than the current patchwork of treaties and agreement."