TERRAE ULTIMA THULE: COOPERATION IN THE ARTIC REGION

Abstract

The Arctic is a region where some of the world’s greatest superpowers
coexist in relative harmony, even though diplomatic relations between
many of them have been tense since the last century. And despite the
increasing number of conflicts in other regions, Arctic cooperation
remains stable and solid. How can we explain this? Several factors, such
as the equitable sharing of natural resources under an international
legal framework, soft-law institutions that enable dialogue and a terrain
that is hostile to all of them alike, have not only created the conditions
necessary for cooperation, but have also eliminated the possibility of
conflict in this part of the world. This unusual situation has led to
a decades-old debate among academia and the public as to whether
cooperation will continue in the future.