Arctic Nations’ Strategies for the Development of the High North

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One of the prominent trends in international relations from the late twentieth to the early twenty-first century has been a significant increase in global interest in the Arctic. A major driver of this interest has been the growing demand for oil and gas, substantial reserves of which—alongside other valuable minerals—have been identified in the polar regions.

According to expert estimates, the Arctic shelf alone may contain more than 5% of the world’s oil reserves and over 20% of its natural gas reserves. In addition, ongoing climate change has improved the accessibility of high-latitude areas for transportation, while advancements in shipbuilding technology have led both major corporate and state actors to recognize the potential of high latitudes for establishing new transport corridors and logistics networks linking northern regions with major traditional trade routes.

In this context, Arctic states have increasingly focused on reassessing their national interests in the Arctic, shaping their Arctic policies, and defining their guiding principles and strategic priorities.

Context

As a prominent Russian independent think tank, PORA focuses, inter alia, on analysing the international environment and challenges related to the Arctic as a global region. From this perspective, the strategic planning of circumpolar actors is key to understanding their respective Arctic policies.

Methods

This study analysed the texts of all Arctic strategies adopted by the member states of the Arctic Council (excluding Russia) as of late 2024.

The purpose of the study was to identify and analyse the Arctic policy priorities of Western Arctic states based on their strategic documents, and to examine their main characteristics and development trends.

The methods employed included textual analysis and a case study of government funding for U.S. and Canadian Arctic policies.

Results

Since the late 2000s, geopolitical and geoeconomic developments have driven a sharp increase in international attention to the Arctic, prompting all Arctic Council (AC) member states to adopt formal strategic documents guiding their Arctic policies. Although these strategies vary widely in form, structure, and level of specificity, they display substantial convergence in content, with shared thematic priorities such as environmental protection, Indigenous issues, and growing international competition in high latitudes. In practice, however, declared priorities often diverge from implementation, as military security and resource-driven economic development increasingly outweigh environmental and social concerns. Against the backdrop of the deepening Russia–West crisis, Arctic policies of AC countries show a clear trend toward securitization, exemplified by the current U.S. Arctic strategy and likely to be reinforced in forthcoming strategy updates. These developments underscore the need for reassessing external threats in Russia’s Arctic planning and for pursuing pragmatic bilateral cooperation with friendly non-Arctic partners, while acknowledging the continued central role of AC countries in Arctic governance.

Discussion

This study does not provide an exhaustive assessment of all existing policies, concepts, and approaches adopted or considered by Arctic Council member states with respect to the Arctic region. Instead, it is limited to the scope defined by their strategic documents. The analysis focuses on the priorities, goals, key guidelines, and principles outlined in these documents and does not cover regional (provincial), departmental, or military strategies adopted by these countries.mea, and Sevastopol—from 2014 onward). Data on average GRP are presented in 1998 prices adjusted for inflation.