Arctic Guided Reading

This region of the world is unique. It is controlled by no nation but claimed variously by several. It is encased in ice
which is rapidly melting due to global warming, and it is rich in resources. Individual nations want control of part or
all of the Arctic for its own purposes, but everyone knows that stewarding the Arctic for the benefit of all will be
wisest. Of course, nations have not proven themselves able to do what is wisest.

Academic Vocabulary:
● Zero-sum: a situation in game theory in which one person's gain is equivalent to another's loss, so the net change in
wealth or benefit is zero. A zero-sum game may have as few as two players, or millions of participants.
Content Vocabulary:
Pythias of Massalia albedo effect albedo effect

● Pythias of Massalia was a
greek geographer who made
a voyage of exploration in
northwest Europe
Gakkel Ridge
● The albedo effect is the
expression that sunlight
bounces of surfaces where
light or pale colored surfaces
bounce back more light than
dark surfaces
New Great Game
● The albedo effect is the
expression that sunlight
bounces of surfaces where
light or pale colored surfaces
bounce back more light than
dark surfaces
Henry Hudson

● The Gakkel Ridge is a mid
ocean ridge. It is a divergent
tectonic plate between the
North American Plate and
Eurasian plate
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
● The New Great Game is
described as the renewal of
geopolitical interest in
Central Asia based on the
mineral wealth of the region.
Svalbard
● Henry Hudson is an English
sea explorer and navigator
during the 17th centuries
Cod Wars

● The Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) is laws that
prevent exploration of the
sea in favor of keeping
peaceful relations of the sea
and define coastal and
maritime boundaries.
Roald Amundsen
● Svalbard is a Norwegian
archipelago in the Arctic
Ocean, between Norway and
the North pole
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
● The Cod Wars were wars
between the United
Kingdom and Iceland about
fishing rights in the North
Atlantic
GIUK gap

● Roald Amundson is a ● EEZ is an area of an ocean ● GIUK gap is an area in the

Norwegian explorer of the where a coastal nation has northern atlantic ocean that
polar regions jurisdiction over whether that forms a naval choke point.
be living or nonliving
resources
sovereignty geopolitical Artikos (near the bear)

● Sovereignty is supreme ● Geopolitical is politics that ● Artikos is a reference to the

power or authority. refer to geographical factors Ursa Major constellation
whose last two stars point
towards the North Star.
Questions: Answer in complete sentences and in complete thoughts. Your answers should be
thorough and demonstrate your knowledge of the content. Each answer should have a minimum
of 2-3 sentences.

1. Why are questions of sovereignty in the Arctic so highly contested today more than ever
before in history?

Questions of sovereignty in the Arctic are so highly contested today more than ever because global
warming is affecting the earth and temperatures are on a spike. We see this because “villages along
the bering and Chukchi coasts have been relocated, as coastlines are eroded and hunting grounds
lost.”(Marshall 259). This quote from the novel shows how problems are occurring because of
climate change and questions about the Arctic are arising. This causes scientists took think that the
Arctic will be utilized for beneficial purposes

2. Explain how the geopolitical situation in the Arctic is not only regional, but global.

The geopolitical situation in the Arctic is not only regional because it is affecting countries as far as
the Maldives, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands. This is because of the increased flooding as a result
of the ice melting and sea levels rising

3. Many scientists predict the Arctic will be ice freezing by the end of the century. Explain the
economic significance of the first cargo ship being able to travel through the Arctic in 2014 without
an icebreaker.

The economic significance of the first cargo ship being able to travel through the Artic in 2014
without an icebreaker is that the route they took was 40 percent shorter than the normal route. They
also reduced the ship's greenhouse gas emission by 1,300 metric tons showing the significant benefit
it had on the environment with less greenhouse gas emission.
 4. Identify the two major natural resources thought to exist below the Arctic’s surface.

The two major natural resources that exist belows the Arctic's surface are natural gas and oil reserves.
Also more resources that may be discovered are gold, zinc, nickel, and iron as more territory becomes
accessible.

5. Explain the advantages of being in the “Arctic Five” as it relates to the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The advantages of being the “Arctic Five” are that Five sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the region.
These advantages give you a step ahead of other countries that are looking at the Artic.

6. Countries not in the Arctic Five or the council argue that the Arctic should be open to
everyone because it represents the “common heritage of mankind.” What do you think? Explain.

I think that every county should have access and the same advantages to the Arctic as the Arctic Five.
I believe this because it should not be owned by anyone and it should be available for all countries.

7. The Svalbard Islands represent the northernmost point on Earth with a settled population.
Explain how Russia is using it as a geopolitical chess piece.

Russia is using the Svalbard islands a geopolitical chess piece because they have a coal mining industry
on the island which brings in more Russian population to the islands. They can use this growth in
people in islands to claim the Arctic.
 8. Provide at least three forms of concrete evidence to prove that Russia is “king” of the Arctic
region.

Firstly, Russia owns places such as the Svalbard islands very close to the Arctic . Secondly, They have
military bases in the Arctic. Lastly, they have a large population in the Arctic and close to it with the
largest fleet of icebreakers in the world. These reasons contribute to why Russia is called “the king of
the Arctic''

9. Explain the “scramble for the Arctic”

Scrabble for the Arctic is referring to why people are fighting for the territory. Global warming and
climate change is affecting the world and people want the Arctic to have a place to stay and they are
fighting over this land for this reason.

10. What is the Northwest Passage and what is its significance to the discussion on the Arctic?

The Northwest Passage is a transportation route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through
the Arctic Ocean. Its significance is that since the ice is melting ue to global warming and climate
change, this route opened up as a way to get ships and cargo across easier and more efficiently.

11. Why does the gas pipelines and liquefaction infrastructure pose difficulties?

The gas pipelines and liquefaction infrastructure pose difficulties because there are natural gasses
and oil because of this discovery. This causes people to want those natural resources and is creating a
dilemma to obtain them.

12. What were the 2014 War Games?

 The 2014 War games were when Russian troops were fighting with Missouri troops. These war
games were important as it gave Russian Troops an advantage over the Arctic.

13. Global warming has opened the Northern Sea Route for several months a year. Why is this
important?

The opening of the Northern Sea Route for several months a year is important because since the ice
melting is caused by global warming and climate change, more ship routes are being provided. Global
warming is providing people with easier transportation through th3eArtic but is also hurting the Earth
making it important.

14. Analyze the following quote:

“There are two kinds of Arctic problems, the imaginary and the real. Of the two, the imaginary are the most real.”

Summarize this quote in your own words.

In my own words this quote means that people are too focused on what will happen to the Arctic
and not how to prevent it from happening. Since we know that climate change and global warming
is affecting the Arctic we need to focus on how to stop these things from progressing and reduce
greenhouse emissions.

15. Opinion: Author, Tim Marshall, believes wars often begin due to fear of others and greed, and
argues that the Arctic provides a unique opportunity for us (mankind) to “overcome the rapacious
side of our nature, and get the Great Game right for the benefit of all.”

a. Summarize the quote.

I believe that Tim Marshall the author of Prisoners of Geography,is trying to say that
the Arctic is a place to overcome the human nature of greed. and fear. I believe that
he is saying that we can use it as an opportunity to come together instead of fighting
over the land and distribution.

b. Predict whether we will “get the Great Game right” in the Arctic, and defend your
answer.
I do think that we will be able to “get the Great Game right” in the Arctic because
countries handle things respectfully of others and peaceful success is achievable. The Arctic
is a place that can be shared and used for all’s benefits just as Tim Marshal believes.