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Cold Rush: The Astonishing True Story of the New Quest for the Polar North
The heating Arctic has become a key issue in global politics. While Canada, China, Russia, and the United States increasingly send icebreakers, submarines, and other vessels to the Arctic, the ice itself continues to recede. Trade routes that kings and explorers have sought after for centuries are opening for the first time in human history, offering greater opportunities for human traffic, cultural exchange, science, the extraction of resources, and the transfer of goods from Asia to North America and Europe. With more Arctic land mass than any other country apart from Russia, Canada is a major player in the region, eagerly defending its sovereignty over its vast Arctic Archipelago.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published September 12, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 24, 2019
Cold Rush : The Astonishing True Story of the New Quest for the Polar North by Martin Breum, is a Danish policy perspective on melting arctic ice and the effect it may have on Denmark/Greenland. Denmark is an arctic nation, due to its control of the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, and has submitted territorial claims to the UN based on geologic studies of Greenland's continental ice shelf. This is part of the global "scramble for the Arctic" that is occurring. Russia, the United States, Canada and Norway have also staked claims to specific areas of the arctic, and these claims are often overlapping.
The book begins with a look at a series of treaties signed between the five major Arctic powers, with an eye of cooperating over search and rescue in the arctic (a large and growing concern as melting sea ice opens up the arctic to shipping, tourism and mineral exploration), and ensuring that border disputes are handled through UN arbitration. All parties - including Russia (subject to much hysteria in western media) have signed the agreement. Breum follows a Danish arctic expedition that sought to map the continental shelf of Greenland in order to document Danish claims to the UN. This expedition reached the North Pole, and ensured Danish claims extended far beyond their previous limits - in fact overlapping with Russian territorial claims. Final arbitration on this issue may be complete by the UN around 2025, but melting sea ice and increasing interests in Greenlandic mineral deposits make this a pressing issue.
Breum also explores Greenland and its politics. Greenland has been granted home rule by Denmark, effectively creating its own parliament, and allowing it to adopt its own domestic policies. This controversially includes mineral rights, although Denmark and Greenland often butt heads on the issue. Greenland is potentially seeking independence from Denmark, which would ensure the Danes lost there Arctic claims as Greenland separates from Denmark. This has yet to happen, but mineral rights play a significant role in this future vision in Greenland. Greenland contains a large percentage of the worlds rare earth minerals, including Uranium, Gold, and other precious metals. Iron and oil and gas are also present, along with numerous other elements. Couple this with massive fishing stocks, and Greenland's proximity to potential future Arctic shipping routes, and a lucrative future is possible in the Arctic proto-nation. However, worries arise. Greenland's population sits at around 60 0000 people. It also currently receives around half of its income through grants from the Danish government. Independence may be dangerous for Greenland's ability to fund its budget and thus support government programs and societal stability. It also opens the door for increased foreign influence in Greenland. Breum notes the interest the United States has had in Denmark over the years. Multiple proposals to buy Greenland have been submitted by the United States, for example. The US also operates an air base in the region. This area is strategically placed to monitor shipping in the North Sea (particularly Russian), as well as an interception point of defense for missiles.
Another major power, China, seeks to expand its influence in Greenland. China is increasingly seeking minerals and resources to fuel its massive economy, and Greenland's abundance of minerals is tempting. Greenland has already had a controversial iron mine opened by a British company, with heavy Chinese investment and China as the destination of export. Danish (and US/NATO) nations worry about this increased interest. China is competing with Arctic power claims to the region, and trying to promote the Arctic as an area of common ownership - like the Antarctic. This is because Chinese shipping may benefit greatly from the opening of Arctic transportation routes. From China's perspective, they state they are just trying to do business as they would anywhere, but Danish and Western politicians worry about the influence China could have on Greenland's small budget. For example, tax revenues from a mining boom may represent the vast majority of an expanded Greenlandic financial windfall. Chinese owned companies would thus have a large amount of sway over Greenlandic policy.
The environmental impact of development in the North is examined as well. Greenland struggles with the need for economic independence from Denmark to pursue its own national destiny. However, its Inuit traditions link Greenland's population closely to the land, and the potential damage of oil and gas exploitation, uranium mining and so on could affect traditional fishing and trapping grounds. It could also lead to the destruction of entire communities who may have to be moved away from mining projects for safety reasons. Accidents in oil exploration, for example, could have a huge environmental impact, and may be impossible to clean due to the remote nature of Greenland's arctic coastline. Similarly, waste from uranium mining can have massive negative health effects, and controversy ensues over where to dump tailings, and the safe distances a community would need to be from a uranium mining project.
Breum has written an interesting and current analysis of Danish arctic policy. This book is an excellent read for those interested in the subject, as well as those from one of the five competing arctic claimants (I am from Canada, for example). This book offers a unique perspective - that of Denmark as well as a competing perspective from Greenland. Greenland would certainly play a central role in the future of arctic policy, mineral exploration, and arctic shipping - all areas opened up due to declining sea ice and climate change. An interesting read if any of the above topics interest you as a reader.
The book begins with a look at a series of treaties signed between the five major Arctic powers, with an eye of cooperating over search and rescue in the arctic (a large and growing concern as melting sea ice opens up the arctic to shipping, tourism and mineral exploration), and ensuring that border disputes are handled through UN arbitration. All parties - including Russia (subject to much hysteria in western media) have signed the agreement. Breum follows a Danish arctic expedition that sought to map the continental shelf of Greenland in order to document Danish claims to the UN. This expedition reached the North Pole, and ensured Danish claims extended far beyond their previous limits - in fact overlapping with Russian territorial claims. Final arbitration on this issue may be complete by the UN around 2025, but melting sea ice and increasing interests in Greenlandic mineral deposits make this a pressing issue.
Breum also explores Greenland and its politics. Greenland has been granted home rule by Denmark, effectively creating its own parliament, and allowing it to adopt its own domestic policies. This controversially includes mineral rights, although Denmark and Greenland often butt heads on the issue. Greenland is potentially seeking independence from Denmark, which would ensure the Danes lost there Arctic claims as Greenland separates from Denmark. This has yet to happen, but mineral rights play a significant role in this future vision in Greenland. Greenland contains a large percentage of the worlds rare earth minerals, including Uranium, Gold, and other precious metals. Iron and oil and gas are also present, along with numerous other elements. Couple this with massive fishing stocks, and Greenland's proximity to potential future Arctic shipping routes, and a lucrative future is possible in the Arctic proto-nation. However, worries arise. Greenland's population sits at around 60 0000 people. It also currently receives around half of its income through grants from the Danish government. Independence may be dangerous for Greenland's ability to fund its budget and thus support government programs and societal stability. It also opens the door for increased foreign influence in Greenland. Breum notes the interest the United States has had in Denmark over the years. Multiple proposals to buy Greenland have been submitted by the United States, for example. The US also operates an air base in the region. This area is strategically placed to monitor shipping in the North Sea (particularly Russian), as well as an interception point of defense for missiles.
Another major power, China, seeks to expand its influence in Greenland. China is increasingly seeking minerals and resources to fuel its massive economy, and Greenland's abundance of minerals is tempting. Greenland has already had a controversial iron mine opened by a British company, with heavy Chinese investment and China as the destination of export. Danish (and US/NATO) nations worry about this increased interest. China is competing with Arctic power claims to the region, and trying to promote the Arctic as an area of common ownership - like the Antarctic. This is because Chinese shipping may benefit greatly from the opening of Arctic transportation routes. From China's perspective, they state they are just trying to do business as they would anywhere, but Danish and Western politicians worry about the influence China could have on Greenland's small budget. For example, tax revenues from a mining boom may represent the vast majority of an expanded Greenlandic financial windfall. Chinese owned companies would thus have a large amount of sway over Greenlandic policy.
The environmental impact of development in the North is examined as well. Greenland struggles with the need for economic independence from Denmark to pursue its own national destiny. However, its Inuit traditions link Greenland's population closely to the land, and the potential damage of oil and gas exploitation, uranium mining and so on could affect traditional fishing and trapping grounds. It could also lead to the destruction of entire communities who may have to be moved away from mining projects for safety reasons. Accidents in oil exploration, for example, could have a huge environmental impact, and may be impossible to clean due to the remote nature of Greenland's arctic coastline. Similarly, waste from uranium mining can have massive negative health effects, and controversy ensues over where to dump tailings, and the safe distances a community would need to be from a uranium mining project.
Breum has written an interesting and current analysis of Danish arctic policy. This book is an excellent read for those interested in the subject, as well as those from one of the five competing arctic claimants (I am from Canada, for example). This book offers a unique perspective - that of Denmark as well as a competing perspective from Greenland. Greenland would certainly play a central role in the future of arctic policy, mineral exploration, and arctic shipping - all areas opened up due to declining sea ice and climate change. An interesting read if any of the above topics interest you as a reader.
June 25, 2020
While the Arctic melts, Polar nations are eagerly looking forward to new business ventures. Reporting from Greenland is Mark Breum with his revealing and impartial book Cold Rush. See my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2019...
February 9, 2020
Not always the most entertaining read but if you are interested in arctic policy in general, Greenland specifically, this is full of excellent information.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews