ABSTRACT
The government of Russia has focused much of its evolving economic policies on building up its Arctic regions – a process which has included closer engagement with the world’s largest non-Arctic state, China. The Arctic Council, which remains the most prominent regional institution, had the luxury in its first decade of existence to remain detached from much global discourse and to keep hard security matters at arm’s length. The Arctic constellation of states and non-state actors provides good examples of this as the threats upon, as well as impacts of, climate change and interlinked environmental security issues move well beyond and across borders. The Arctic Council, which remains the most prominent regional institution, had the luxury in its first decade of existence to remain detached from much global discourse and to keep hard security matters at arm’s length.
