Hudson Institute will host a discussion on the geostrategic importance of the Arctic. Panelists will include Case Western Reserve University Professor Kathryn Lavelle,
Wilson Center Global Fellow Stacy R. Closson, Hudson Senior Fellow Liselotte Odgaard, Greenland Representative Inuuteq Holm Olsen, and U.S. Arctic Research Commission’s John Farrell. The panel will be moderated by Hudson’s Asia-Pacific Security Chair, Hudson Institute, Patrick Cronin.

The melting of Arctic ice accelerated by global warming is not only opening opportunities for new transport routes and scientific exploration, but also raising new strategic concerns. Russia remains a major Arctic actor, seeking to exploit the Northern Sea Route which will cut maritime transportation costs between Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, China is investing in strategic assets in the region, including natural gas, minerals, railways and telecommunications. The Arctic Strategy laid out by the Department of Defense promises to sustain the U.S. military’s competitive advantage to counter the growing influence of rivals in the Arctic, causing Greenland and other countries to grapple with growing great power competition in the region. The panel will examine how the emergence of this geopolitical and geoeconomic rivalry influences regional agendas and political priorities in the Arctic.