A new security concept is called for to address the implications of climate change and energy transport in the North Atlantic region.
The Arctic area is now heating up twice as fast as the rest of the Earth. The consequences of this will be profound. An ice-free Arctic Ocean in summer is assured. The "when" could be from 10 to 50 years. This will permit global maritime shipping in all but the coldest winter months. A new northern sea route between Europe and Asia would save 4,000 miles in the transport of goods. There is a need to understand the scope of climate change, its implications in the North Atlantic, and the policy options that are available to the United States and its allies.
Reliable energy supply is crucial for political stability and sustainable economic development in the world. Global energy security is facing increased risks from terrorism. Energy security in the North Atlantic should be considered in the context of climate change and the safe transport of oil and gas from producers to consumers in the event of deliberate disruption of energy flows. The Achillies heel of the oil and gas industry has always been safe transportation. Since the emergence of global terrorism, it has become even more so. A significant volume of oil and gas is now transported through the northern part of the Atlantic from Russia to North America. The Barents Sea is an important source of energy for Europe and North America. Perhaps as much as quarter of the world's undiscovered petroleum reserves may be located in the Arctic region. The United States will be looking to this region for additional supplies of oil and gas.
These issues are of increasing importance to the United States and its allies. Market solutions alone do not ensure the right responses to these issues. The dominating theme in the Icelandic security debate is the North Atlantic in the post–Cold War era. The 1980s saw a remarkable change in international relations. The transition from Cold War to the present international order, climate change, and energy security call for a new security concept and a new approach by Iceland to numerous long-running security problems and a new relationship with the United States and NATO allies in the region.
Climate change and energy security are issues that call for a new approach to foreign and security policy questions in the North Atlantic.
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