Arctic 2015 and Beyond: A Strategy for U.S. Leadership in the High North
Full Title: Arctic 2015 and Beyond: A Strategy for U.S. Leadership in the High North
Author(s): Elizabeth Rosenberg, Dr. David Titley and Alexander Wiker
Publisher(s): Center for New American Security (CNAS)
Strong U.S. Arctic policy and leadership are increasingly fundamental to the United States' strategic and economic interests. Such leadership and focus in this area will be essential to underpinning U.S. initiatives on Arctic matters in multilateral forums, such as the Arctic Council (AC).
If the United States wants to realize broad national interests in this region, particularly in an era of tense relations with Russia (the current preeminent power in the High North), it must prioritize greater resource commitments and attention to the region. The United States must accelerate its rate of investment in Arctic infrastructure, operations and legal and regulatory capacities to be able to set the terms for the coming era of expanded Arctic activity. The United States must also implement binding international agreements on such matters as search and rescue, oil spill response and polar shipping codes, among others, to attract opportunity, manage risk and help establish a solid framework for international engagement in this region in the years to come.