Emerging legal concerns in the Arctic: sovereignty, navigation and land claim disputes

With global warming, the clearance of the Northwest Passage and the rising demands for new energy resources, the sovereignty of Canadian and other national land claims in the Arctic north is coming into question by those wishing to control access to this region. The present paper examines issues involving emerging landmasses, maritime rights, strategic control and navigation, perhaps the most important variable, and the consequences in terms of commercial economies and geopolitical impacts. We consider many variables such as the 1982 Falkland Islands war as a demonstrative example that may have translatable impact in future years. Our purpose in this paper is to raise awareness of impending geopolitical activities that are inevitable during the 21st century as the Arctic pack ice retreats.