A Frozen Geopolitical Concern: Arctic Ocean and the Emerging Great Power Competition

The Arctic is on the cusp of a major shift. Defrosting of permafrost, thawing of ice sheet, and degradation of thick sea ice are the results of devastating climate change implications on the region. Arctic ice is melting faster than ever before and therefore, states are rushing to make claims and assert their influence in this region of geo-strategic significance. Climate change has made the Arctic a new geopolitical battlefield. Therefore, the paper poses three major questions: first, what is the strategic significance of the Arctic in contemporary times? Second, what are the domestic and international interests of the US, Russia, and China that are likely to compete in the Arctic? Third, how is the involvement of China- a non-Arctic state- impacting the strategic calculus of the Arctic? The paper argues climate-induced melting of ice caps in the Arctic have encouraged the great powers- US, Russia, and China to view for influence. This influence is derived from the region’s untapped resources and its significance for the maritime trade routes. The paper concludes that even though the Arctic competition can have serious implications on the ongoing great power rivalry, the changing dynamics will also unravel opportunities with regards to maritime trade.