International law and governance of the arctic in an era of climate change

Abstract

The far-reaching invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 poses the greatest threat to international peace and security in Europe since the end of World War II. The unjustified attack also impacts the relations between Russia and other Arctic nations, i.e. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Canada, and the United States of America, all of which are members of the European Union or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or both. This thesis analyses the existing legal framework in the Arctic with a special focus on the region's governance and its indigenous people. It will be argued that the Arctic Council as a forum for the Arctic cooperation will continue to play a role in the future, but that international cooperation for governance in the Arctic will be very different as compared to the last three decades. The thesis offers an extensive analysis of the Arctic's legal framework, and of the need for a comprehensive and efficient Arctic Governance Regime based on International Law and the main principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.