Maintaining Arctic Cooperation with Russia: Planning for Regional Change in the Far North

Pézard, Stéphanie; Tingstad, Abbie; Abel, Kristin Van; Stephenson, Scott R.

doi:10.7249/rr1731

Cited by 29 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…However, and even despite the current behavior of Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, that does not mean that there is not a chance for progress. Russia's willingness to engage in multilateralism should not be taken for granted (Pezard et al 2017), but it does signal the seriousness in which Russia takes the Arctic region, perhaps providing a platform for more constructive engagement-and allowing its regional partners in the Eurasian Economic Union a way to enter into the debates regarding environmental policy in the Arctic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…And yet, Russia has continued to be involved in cross-border cooperation in the Arctic on a number of environmental issues (Roberts 2015), even given the tense international climate that it has generated since 2014, working successfully with the USA and other polar actors (Østhagen 2016). This can be seen in its work in multilateral treaty mechanisms, as Russia has been active in the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears as well as the Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution, Preparedness, and Response in the Arctic (Pezard et al 2017), as well as viewing the Arctic Council as an indispensable forum for Arctic issues (Sergunin 2021). Russia has also been active in treaties not explicitly concerned with the environment but where the environment is still a constituent part, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Roberts 2015) and especially in the Arctic Coast Guard Forum (Østhagen 2016).…”

Section: Russia the Arctic And Environmental Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, despite the increasing belligerence that Russia has shown on the Eurasian landmass, its policies towards the Arctic have remained surprisingly cooperative, perhaps due to the fact that these policies are seen as a domestic matter within a larger international context rather than a purely international dispute (Roberts 2015). It also may be a matter of pure national interest, as further militarization and destabilization of the polar zones would threaten the economic goals which Putin set out in his 2020 Decree (Pezard et al 2017).…”

Section: Russia the Arctic And Environmental Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In our (frozen) backyard: the Eurasian Union and regional environmental governance in the Arctic

Hartwell

2023

Climatic Change

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Regional environmental governance has emerged as a viable alternative to supranational environmental solutions, using regional and local knowledge and actors to tailor more effective policies. This does not deny a role for supranational institutions, however, which can enable their members to effectively shift towards such a decentralized and polycentric approach. In specific regions such as the Arctic, with many national and local actors interested in environmental improvement, such impetus from meta-organizations (i.e., organizations comprised of organizations) could result in beneficial environmental outcomes. This paper examines an underutilized institution, the Eurasian Union (EaEU), and the role it currently plays in facilitating regional environmental governance. Focusing on its largest member, Russia—and the only member with an Arctic linkage—I explore the tension between supranational facilitation and interference in an area not directly affecting all members. Despite explicit Russian interest in this realm, the EaEU may be able to influence Russian environmental policy for the better via multilateral means and internal mechanisms. By challenging the Russian monopoly on Arctic policy in the EaEU, these additional voices may create space for environmental innovation in areas not central to Russia’s interests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Russia the Arctic And Environmental Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Russia the Arctic And Environmental Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In our (frozen) backyard: the Eurasian Union and regional environmental governance in the Arctic

Hartwell

2023

Climatic Change

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“…On the other hand, there is no way around the fact that Russia's four Arctic neighbors are NATO member-states and, in a situation of a developing confrontation, would be intrinsically hostile to the Kremlin's positions. 9 Although Moscow presents itself as an upholder of international law, it remains a firm believer in the ultimate importance of military force in interstate relations. Its commitment to strengthening international institutions governing the Arctic is therefore counter-balanced with the determination to rely on own power in protecting its rich possessions.…”

Section: Russia's Divergent Interests In the Arcticmentioning

confidence: 99%

Russia’s Ambivalent Status-Quo/Revisionist Policies in the Arctic

Baev

2018

Arctic Review

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Russia has been following an Arctic policy that is highly heterogeneous, combining efforts at preserving cooperation with Western neighbors with commitment to building up its own strength. Three distinct policy modes can be identified: realist/militaristic, institutional/cooperative, and diplomatic management. Each mode is based on a particular interpretation of Russia’s various interests in the High North/Arctic: nuclear/strategic, geopolitical, economic/energy-related, and symbolic. Examination of policy modes and interests shows that each combination contains some elements that focus on preserving the status quo in the Arctic, while other elements push for changes in Russia’s favor. This article finds that revisionist elements have been gaining in strength, but that current policy still attaches high value to sustaining traditional patterns, even if they demand more resources and provide fewer advantages and revenues. Responsible Editor: Helge Blakkisrud, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)

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“…The resources and attention devoted to this modernisation, some of which could be used to pursue solely national interest and some of which is necessary to support a more open, more cooperative Arctic (e.g. search and rescue capacity), have also become subject to competing representations within other Arctic countries (for example, debating whether Russia's actions represent Arctic militarisation or capacity building, not unlike other countries' efforts, in preparation for a more open Arctic) (Conley and Rohloff, 2015;Pezard et al, 2017).…”

Section: Invigorated Participation and Some Key Differencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arctic governance

Rowe¹

2018

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This electronic version has been made freely available under a Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) licence, which permits non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction provided the author(s) and Manchester University Press are fully cited and no modifications or adaptations are made. Details of the licence can be viewed at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. The publisher has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for any external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Typeset by Out of House Publishing AcknowledgementsThis book would have been impossible to carry out without the contributions of others.I am grateful to all of the interviewees from many years from Moscow; Murmansk; Ottawa; Washington, DC; Iqaluit; Copenhagen; Oslo; Anchorage; and elsewhere. All of these interviewees are busy practitioners, whose responsibilities and schedules are not necessarily designed to accommodate discussing questions with a researcher. Yet they found the time and energy to meet with me, and their insights have been invaluable.The enthusiasm of these practitioners is matched by a thriving world of Arctic social-science scholars, who continuously produce so much new, interesting research that I had to keep updating the references of this book until the very last minute. Discussions with this community of scholars, established and junior, at project workshops, at the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, Arctic Circle and Arctic Frontiers have been inspiring and formative. My 'long ago' friends and teachers from student days at the Scott Polar Research Institute continue to shape my thinking. My 'part-time' colleagues, Frode Mellemvik, Anatoli Bourmistrov and Elena Dybtsyna, as well as students at the High North Centre for Business at Nord University in Bodø, have increased my understanding of Arctic politics.I also appreciate the efforts of the anonymous reviewers who took time to comment, and of Jessica Shadian, who looked closely at the manuscript for me at an important juncture. From the days of the Greek cartographers dreaming about Ultima Thule at the edges of the known world, the cold reaches of the northern hemisphere have inspired grandiose caricatures of risk and opportunity. The region is often imagined from a distance as sublime, exceptional and prone to extremes. Out of space and out of time, as Poe put it, the circumpolar North is frequently envisioned as fundamentally apart from the complexities, indeterminacies and intricacies of life and politics in other parts of the globe. We see some of this exceptionalism in the application of dichotomies to the Arctic: the Arctic will either be preserved as humanity's last wilderness, or plundered by coastal states jealously guarding their natural resource treasure chests. All Arctic states are completely equal in Arctic governance, or the USA and Russia dominate militarily and diplomatically against a ve...

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Maintaining Arctic Cooperation with Russia: Planning for Regional Change in the Far North

Cited by 29 publications

References 3 publications

In our (frozen) backyard: the Eurasian Union and regional environmental governance in the Arctic

In our (frozen) backyard: the Eurasian Union and regional environmental governance in the Arctic

Russia’s Ambivalent Status-Quo/Revisionist Policies in the Arctic

Arctic governance

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