Conflict Prevention and Security Cooperation in the Arctic Region

The Arctic region is experiencing significant changes environmentally, economically, politically, and militarily. Climate change is enabling the opening of the Arctic, with greater maritime access creating both economic opportunities and regional security challenges. The evolving geostrategic environment is further characterized by a return to great power competition. Though the Arctic has been a region of relative peace and stability in recent decades, there is rising concern for increased tensions and conflict in the region. With this backdrop, the Newport Arctic Scholars Initiative was created to bring together national security practitioners and scholars from Arctic States to analyze security implications of the evolving Arctic and produce recommendations for heads of navy and policymakers.