ABSTRACT
The Arctic is undergoing environmental transformation forced by global climate change, bringing new challenges that threaten established business operations, traditional livelihoods, biodiversity, and extant infrastructure. The change also underpins new opportunities, such as increased shipping, and generates or heightens the engagement of new actor groups. The most striking form of change in Arctic governance networks has played out against a regional/global dynamic in how the Arctic and its policy challenges are understood and managed. In the two decades following the end of the Cold War, Arctic governance tended to be a regional affair, with Arctic states and Arctic civil society actors elaborating norms, standards, and rules. Complexity can certainly exacerbate implementation gaps, as states and other actors can shop for a preferred forum and adhere to the standards most advantageous to them, or can go to the governance site most amenable to their broader interests.
