The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
The Arctic is changing.
The region is warming faster than any other place on Earth, with serious consequences for local communities and the planet. Unprecedented heat waves, wildfires, permafrost thaw, and shrinking ice coverage are transforming delicate ecosystems and endangering wildlife. The homes, cultures, and subsistence livelihoods of the region’s Indigenous peoples, who have contributed essentially nothing to the emissions driving global climate change, are now at existential risk from its impacts.
What happens in the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic. The rapid pace of Arctic climate change is accelerating warming worldwide and threatens to undermine society’s ability to limit global temperature rise at a level that avoids wholly unmanageable consequences. Arctic sea ice retreat, too, is opening up new maritime routes and easing access to natural resources, leading to increased international attention on potential economic opportunities and security concerns in the region.
Launched in 2017, the Belfer Center’s Arctic Initiative addresses the challenges and opportunities being created by rapid climate change in the far North. By integrating insights from cutting-edge scientific research, Indigenous knowledge, and policy analysis, we seek to 1) improve understanding of the regional and global impacts of Arctic climate change; 2) work with local, regional, national, and international stakeholders to develop responsive policies and actions; and 3) train the next generation of interdisciplinary Arctic experts and leaders.
The Arctic Initiative is a joint project of the Environment and Natural Resources Program and the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program at the Belfer Center.