Future Security of the Global Arctic ─ State Policy, Economic Security and Climate

The post-Cold War Arctic has seen a transformation from military tension and a focus on national security to a concern for environmental and human security. As a result of this, the globalized Arctic has a high level of peace and stability, maintained by international cooperation between the Arctic states, northern indigenous peoples, sub-national governments and local actors. There has also been a shift from environmental protection to economic activities and, consequently, states easily trump other interests. Now, in the Arctic, these challenges require fresh thinking on a local and global scale. Regional wars, the 'war on terror', and economic crises have posed new threats to Northern security order.

Dr Lassi Heininen is Professor of Arctic Politics at University of Lapland, Finland, and the leader of the Thematic Network on Geopolitics and Security. He is the author of more than 200 scientific publications and the editor of Arctic Yearbook. He teaches regularly abroad, supervises several PhD students and actively participates in international academic and policy-oriented gatherings.