ABSTRACT
Energy relations between international partners in the Arctic have changed dramatically over time. The “Russian-Norwegian Gas Bridge” lasted from 1990 to 2014. A combination of external and internal forces brought the cooperation to a halt. Russia’s attention then turned to the East in the form of the “Sino-Russian Gas Bridge”. Several common gas projects have already been completed, are in the construction stage, or are planned. In October 2020, President Xi committed China to be a “net zero” country by 2060.
This chapter, using the perspective of geo-economics, offers examples of these developments toward the future in the form of two narratives. Geo-economics assumes that economic forces and market interventions are used to achieve geopolitical objectives and vice versa.
The first narrative is of how the “Sino-Russian Gas Bridge” by 2060 is declining in importance and becoming largely irrelevant. The second narrative describes how gas is strengthening its position in China’s energy mix and gas imports from Russia continue to increase.
