On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage
The Arctic sea-ice is in a state of rapid decline. Barriers to navigation that once doomed the likes of Sir John Franklin and closed the shortcut to the Orient now seem to be melting away. The prospect of shorter, transpolar transportation routes linking Asian and Western markets has inspired excite...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d54dc53aeae94695ada46b206675e203 2023-05-15T14:29:17+02:00 On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage Whitney Lackenbauer Adam Lajeunesse 2014-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v7i0.42493 https://doaj.org/article/d54dc53aeae94695ada46b206675e203 EN eng University of Calgary http://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/uncertain-ice-lackenbauer-lajeunesse.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/2560-8312 https://doaj.org/toc/2560-8320 https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v7i0.42493 2560-8312 2560-8320 https://doaj.org/article/d54dc53aeae94695ada46b206675e203 The School of Public Policy Publications, Pp 1-17 (2014) Political institutions and public administration (General) JF20-2112 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v7i0.42493 2022-12-30T22:07:56Z The Arctic sea-ice is in a state of rapid decline. Barriers to navigation that once doomed the likes of Sir John Franklin and closed the shortcut to the Orient now seem to be melting away. The prospect of shorter, transpolar transportation routes linking Asian and Western markets has inspired excitement and fear, and particularly the latter when it comes to Canadian sovereignty. This paper confirms recent studies suggesting that, in spite of the general trend towards reduced ice cover in the Arctic Basin, environmental variability, scarce infrastructure and other navigational aids, and uncertain economics make it unlikely that the Northwest Passage will emerge as a viable trans-shipping route in the foreseeable future. Instead, the region is likely to witness a steady increase in resource, resupply, and tourist destinational shipping. Accordingly, concerns that this increased activity will adversely affect Canadian sovereignty are misplaced. Rather than calling into question Canadian control, foreign vessels engaged in local activities are likely to reinforce Canada’s legal position by demonstrating an international acceptance of Canadian laws and regulations. Rather than worrying about the “sovereignty” ramifications of Arctic shipping, the Canadian government should focus its short – and medium – term energies on the practical requirements of developing and maintaining safe shipping routes. At the heart of this requirement is ensuring that such activity is beneficial to Inuit, whose traditional “highways” will double as transits routes for resource carriers and cruise liners. If developed with an eye to those most directly affected, Canada’s Arctic waters can become a well-managed route to an increasingly attractive region, making our Arctic a destination rather than mere space through which to pass. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Basin Arctic inuit Northwest passage Sea ice Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Northwest Passage |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Political institutions and public administration (General) JF20-2112 |
spellingShingle |
Political institutions and public administration (General) JF20-2112 Whitney Lackenbauer Adam Lajeunesse On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage |
topic_facet |
Political institutions and public administration (General) JF20-2112 |
description |
The Arctic sea-ice is in a state of rapid decline. Barriers to navigation that once doomed the likes of Sir John Franklin and closed the shortcut to the Orient now seem to be melting away. The prospect of shorter, transpolar transportation routes linking Asian and Western markets has inspired excitement and fear, and particularly the latter when it comes to Canadian sovereignty. This paper confirms recent studies suggesting that, in spite of the general trend towards reduced ice cover in the Arctic Basin, environmental variability, scarce infrastructure and other navigational aids, and uncertain economics make it unlikely that the Northwest Passage will emerge as a viable trans-shipping route in the foreseeable future. Instead, the region is likely to witness a steady increase in resource, resupply, and tourist destinational shipping. Accordingly, concerns that this increased activity will adversely affect Canadian sovereignty are misplaced. Rather than calling into question Canadian control, foreign vessels engaged in local activities are likely to reinforce Canada’s legal position by demonstrating an international acceptance of Canadian laws and regulations. Rather than worrying about the “sovereignty” ramifications of Arctic shipping, the Canadian government should focus its short – and medium – term energies on the practical requirements of developing and maintaining safe shipping routes. At the heart of this requirement is ensuring that such activity is beneficial to Inuit, whose traditional “highways” will double as transits routes for resource carriers and cruise liners. If developed with an eye to those most directly affected, Canada’s Arctic waters can become a well-managed route to an increasingly attractive region, making our Arctic a destination rather than mere space through which to pass. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Whitney Lackenbauer Adam Lajeunesse |
author_facet |
Whitney Lackenbauer Adam Lajeunesse |
author_sort |
Whitney Lackenbauer |
title |
On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage |
title_short |
On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage |
title_full |
On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage |
title_fullStr |
On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage |
title_full_unstemmed |
On Uncertain Ice: The Future of Arctic Shipping and the Northwest Passage |
title_sort |
on uncertain ice: the future of arctic shipping and the northwest passage |
publisher |
University of Calgary |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v7i0.42493 https://doaj.org/article/d54dc53aeae94695ada46b206675e203 |
geographic |
Arctic Northwest Passage |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Northwest Passage |
genre |
Arctic Basin Arctic inuit Northwest passage Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Arctic Basin Arctic inuit Northwest passage Sea ice |
op_source |
The School of Public Policy Publications, Pp 1-17 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/uncertain-ice-lackenbauer-lajeunesse.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/2560-8312 https://doaj.org/toc/2560-8320 https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v7i0.42493 2560-8312 2560-8320 https://doaj.org/article/d54dc53aeae94695ada46b206675e203 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v7i0.42493 |
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1766303336830599168 |