7.7 - Tension over resources

• Denmark and Russia

  • Russia claimed the seabed below the north pole in 2007
  • Denmark claimed part of the Arctic in 2014
  • United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - a country can claim the seabed within 200 nautical miles of their country
  • Denmark therefore owns 900,000km squared of the Arctic ocean because of Greenland
• Arctic

  • Canada - military exercises
  • Norway - expanded navy
  • Russia - Arctic bomber patrols
  • Denmark - Arctic military control
  • Melting ice allows ships to travel over the top - 2014, 71 cargo ships, 46 in 2012
  • Drilling for oil and gas increasingly possible - USGS
  • 1/8th of the world's oil
• Attitudes and tensions

  • Tensions can arise over physical resources
  • In Cornwall, Prince of Wales owns all mineral wealth
  • Disputes become more common as demand increases
  • Most are resolved peacefully - few conflicts arise e.g. Iraq
• Counterfeiting industry

  • Patpong district in Bangkok sells fake goods like DVDs, shirts, watches, and luggage
  • Example: £3.50 for a pair of Birkenstocks
  • Quality varies from excellent to poor
  • Violates intellectual property rights (IPR) under WTO rules
  • Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) protect patents and innovations
  • Counterfeiting undermines IPR
• Tensions over territory

  • Growing tensions between Russia and many eastern European countries
  • After USSR collapse in 1991, many countries claimed independence - eight joined EU in 2004
  • Links to NATO rather than Russia
  • Counties bordering Russia still heavily influenced - Belarus, Georgia etc
  • Annexed Crimea in 2014 - hard power
• China

  • No intention of abandoning territorial claims of Tibet or Taiwan
  • South China Sea conflict - China, Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and India
  • Chinese military bases in the Spratly Islands
  • Many countries are worried by this development
  • Military ambitions focused on supporting its economy - e.g. anti-piracy measures
• Resource extraction in Alaska

  • Alaska holds over 18 billion barrels of oil and 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas, making up 20% of the nation's domestic production
  • Oil production generated $2.7 billion in 2019, 90% of Alaska's tax revenue
  • Average wage in 2019 was 2.5x higher than the state average
  • Oil industry supports 1/4th of Alaska's jobs and half of its economy
  • 54,700 jobs and $145 billion payroll expected through 2057
  • $45 billion Alaska natural gas pipeline planned from North Slope to Southcentral Alaska