The Arctic in Play: Governance in a Time of Rapid Change

The current wave of interest in Arctic affairs has struck with startling speed and remarkable
force. Fueled by the writings of pundits asking provocative questions (e.g., “who owns the
Arctic?”), this wave has now captured the attention of policymakers and begun to trigger
policy responses (e.g., the May 2008 Ilulissat Declaration from the five Arctic coastal states).
This article examines these developments from the perspective of governance, raising questions
about underlying drivers, the identity of relevant stakeholders, the framing of issues for consideration in policy settings, and the extent to which a new regime for the Arctic Ocean or an
even more ambitious legally binding convention or treaty for the whole Arctic region is needed.
The general conclusion is that many proposals on off er in this realm are simplistic but that
there is a strong case for taking a number of pragmatic steps to address specific problems of
governance in the far North during an era of rapid change.