Struggles Over the Melting Arctic

Lecture by Dr.  Anna Stenport, Professor of Global Studies; Chair, School of Modern Languages; Founding co-Director, the Atlanta Global Studies Center, Georgia Tech. Co-author of Introduction: Arctic Modernities, Environmental Politics, and the Era of the Anthropocene

Former U.S. President Donald Trump left many scratching their heads when it was rumored that he was looking to purchase the large island nation of Greenland from Denmark. While any potential deal seems highly unlikely, the event shows the changing opinion within the U.S. government toward engagement with the Arctic region. Because of climate change, large sheets of arctic ice are melting, exposing vast stores of natural gas and oil. With Russia and China already miles ahead with their Arctic strategies, can the U.S. catch up?