Arctic energy resources - curse or blessing?

Energy security is back on the international political agenda and the European-Russian energy game is complex. In this new working paper Dag Harald Claes (University of Oslo) and Øistein Harsem (University of Tromsø) discuss the political factors which make the Arctic energy resources, in particular natural gas, increase or decrease the energy security of Europe.


By drawing from existing literature about ‘economic statecraft’ we will show that natural gas can, through decision makers, play an important role in the future energy supplies to Europe, however, there are important political roadblocks, in addition to geological, technological and economic challenges.