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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress
Summary
The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has
heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future. The United States, by virtue of
Alaska, is an Arctic country and has substantial interests in the region. On January 21, 2015,
President Obama issued an executive order for enhancing coordination of national efforts in the
Arctic. The United States assumed the chairmanship of the Arctic Council on April 24, 2015, and
will serve in that capacity for two years.
Record low extents of Arctic sea ice over the past decade have focused scientific and policy
attention on links to global climate change and projected ice-free seasons in the Arctic within
decades. These changes have potential consequences for weather in the United States, access to
mineral and biological resources in the Arctic, the economies and cultures of peoples in the
region, and national security.
The five Arctic coastal states-the United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, and Denmark (of
which Greenland is a territory)-have made or are in the process of preparing submissions to the
Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf regarding the outer limits of their extended
continental shelves. The Russian submission includes the underwater Lomonosov Ridge, a
feature that spans a considerable distance across the Arctic Ocean.
The diminishment of Arctic ice could lead in coming years to increased commercial shipping on
two trans-Arctic sea routes-the Northern Sea Route and the Northwest Passage. Current
international guidelines for ships operating in Arctic waters are being updated.
Changes to the Arctic brought about by warming temperatures will likely allow more exploration
for oil, gas, and minerals. Warming that causes permafrost to melt could pose challenges to
onshore exploration activities. Increased oil and gas exploration and tourism (cruise ships) in the
Arctic increase the risk of pollution in the region. Cleaning up oil spills in ice-covered waters will
be more difficult than in other areas, primarily because effective strategies have yet to be
developed.
Large commercial fisheries exist in the Arctic. The United States is currently meeting with other
countries regarding the management of Arctic fish stocks. Changes in the Arctic could affect
threatened and endangered species. Under the Endangered Species Act, the polar bear was listed
as threatened on May 15, 2008. Arctic climate change is also expected to affect the economies,
health, and cultures of Arctic indigenous peoples.
Two of the Coast Guard's three polar icebreakers Polar Star and Polar Sea-have exceeded
their intended 30-year service lives, and Polar Sea is not operational. On May 12, 2011,
representatives from the member states of the Arctic Council signed an agreement on cooperation
on search and rescue in the Arctic.
Although there is significant international cooperation on Arctic issues, the Arctic is increasingly
being viewed by some observers as a potential emerging security issue. Some of the Arctic
coastal states, particularly Russia, have announced an intention or taken actions to enhance their
military presences in the high north. U.S. military forces, particularly the Navy and Coast Guard,
have begun to pay more attention to the region in their planning and operations.Congressional Research Service
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O'Rourke, Ronald. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress, report, December 7, 2016; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1042297/m1/2/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.