Institutions and stability: the Arctic case

• Main Author: Alyson JK Bailes
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Finnish
• Published: The Geographical Society of Northern Finland 2011
• Subjects: Geography (General); G1-922; Arctic; Arctic Council; Global warming
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/bd291d3f284946c1aef974e3557b1a11

Institutions can serve stability by what they are, as well as by what they do in various ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ security dimensions. A typical region today has a complex of institutions sharing burdens vertically and horizontally, and non-state actors may also play significant roles. The Arctic has enjoyed stability thanks to its natural conditions and overall strategic balance, but the Arctic Council and other groups – both larger and smaller – have helped by adopting an inclusive, low-key and non-constraining approach. As the region’s underlying characteristics change through global warming, the question is how far existing institutions’ roles can be expanded and what, if any, further inputs may be needed.