Arctic Ocean Governance: Cooperation after Conflict?

The Arctic is on the economic and political agenda. How to best govern the vast maritime domains in the North coincides with global debates on ocean governance and the ‘blue economy’. At the same time, disputes over who has what rights at sea continue to emerge both in the Arctic and around the world. Cooperation with Russia in the North has also been postponed or cancelled altogether. However, there are areas and topics that will require collaboration with Russia, no matter the current political implications. Examples include protection of the marine environment and management of fishing, in particular in the Barents Sea, the Bering Strait region, and the Central Arctic Ocean. What issues should be addressed in this regard? What will be the challenges and implications of the invasion in Ukraine? What lessons does the Arctic hold for global ocean governance in general? 

The Arctic Initiative hosted a seminar that explored the history of cooperation in the Barents Sea and Bering Strait, as well as possible paths forward for cooperation in the Arctic in a time of conflict. The seminar examined different dimension of ocean governance in the Arctic, looking specifically at cooperation between Russia and the United States, as well as Norway. 
 

Recording