It was seven months ago that Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, warned about the risks to international stability from the intensifying competition among countries in the Arctic region. Today the European Parliament drew attention to the issue again by passing a resolution that called on EU policymakers to push for an international treaty for the protection of the Arctic.

Legislators adopted the resolution by 597 votes to 23 with 41 abstentions, demonstrating that it had overwhelming cross-party support. Soon the European Commission will publish a long-awaited report that for the first time will put flesh on the bones of the EU’s Arctic policy.

The problem in the Arctic is that there are no comprehensive rules governing how states should behave there. There is no system for managing fish stocks, nothing to regulate the extraction of oil and gas, and not much guidance on how to settle territorial disputes that may flare up as the polar ice recedes.

According to a US Geological Survey report published in July, the Arctic accounts for about 22 per cent of the world’s undiscovered, technically recoverable resources. That includes 13 per cent of the undiscovered oil, 30 per cent of the natural gas and 20 per cent of the natural gas liquids. It is an extraordinary, unrepeatable opportunity.

However, as was shown in August 2007 when Russian explorers planted their flag on the seabed under the North Pole, the Arctic could easily turn into a zone of clashing national interests. Moreover, the boom in shipping activities and energy exploitation may create all sorts of environmental hazards for the Arctic’s vulnerable ice-covered areas.

Joe Borg, the EU fisheries and maritime affairs commissioner, says the Commission’s report will stress three points: safeguarding the Arctic’s ecosystem, promoting the sustainable use of its resources, and putting in place a stronger system of international governance. The idea is to build on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the international environmental treaties that apply to the Arctic, and the work of various bodies such as the Arctic Council, which includes Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the US.

The EU lacks even observer status in the Arctic Council and needs to catch up quickly if it is to defend its interests in the region. Solana’s message is worth repeating: “There is an increasing need to address the growing debate over territorial claims and access to new trade routes by different countries which challenge Europe’s ability to effectively secure its trade and resource interests in the region and may put pressure on its relations with key partners.”

October 9, 2008 1:11pm in Energy, European Parliament, Russia | Comment