Validity of state claims in the Arctic

• Main Author: Whittington, Tanis
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: California State University Maritime Academy 2017
• Subjects: Arctic regions > International status; Arctic regions > International cooperation; Arctic regions > Boundaries > Canada; Canada > Boundaries > Arctic regions; Jurisdiction; Territorial > Arctic regions; Arctic; Canada; Lanes; Climate change
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/195898

The Arctic is a vast and changing region. Climate change is affecting the availability of many sectors in the Arctic and opening the door for state actors to approve the implementation of industrial resource development, as well as commercial shipping lanes. The laws governing the Arctic are mostly controlled by states within their waters. State claims in the Arctic are often conflicting. This thesis seeks to bring territorial claims from states in the Arctic into a singular compilation from the Russian perspective. Aspects of state claims conflicting with Russia's Arctic claims are presented, and comparisons are made in regards to the potential validity of each state's claims. Finally, this thesis recommends a proposed solution to disputed territory in the Arctic after a thorough analysis of the policies presented throughout the thesis. Recommendations for United Nation (UN) involvement and the involvement of the Arctic Council are both given in the conclusion of this thesis. A capstone project submitted to the faculty of the California Maritime Academy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and Maritime Affairs.