Greenland must not be a pawn in a new Cold War!
Democratic elections are a crucial part of a free and thriving society. This applies not only at the local and national levels, but the global as well. It is why Atlas strongly supports the democratic process wherever it is, and will always respect the results of a free and fair election. We believe that the stronger local and national democracies become, the greater chance democracy has for taking root and blooming in countries under harsh autocratic rule. Democrats around the world can then coordinate their responses to autocratic crackdowns through sanctions and the offering of incentives to move toward democratization.
However, for this to become a reality, all democracies must respect the territorial integrity and wishes of one another.
Greenland held elections on Tuesday March 11th in the wake of United States President Donald Trump repeatedly making remarks about taking control over the island, which is governed nationally by Denmark. While all the major parties support independence, they differ over the rate of separation and the measures to be taken to achieve it. The gradualist Demokraatit party won the most seats, with just under thirty percent of the vote, according to Reuters. This would suggest Greenland will continue offering pushback against Trump’s wishes about annexation, and may even herald moving closer to Copenhagen, rather than the opposite.
The geopolitical situation surrounding the Trump-Greenland issue is complex, but primarily revolves around climate change, supply chains, security, and access to raw materials necessary for advanced technologies.
Climate change is leading to the melting of much of Greenland’s glaciers, and this affords greater access to raw materials and also opens up shipping lanes in the Arctic Ocean. Maintaining control of important new shipping lanes, it is often argued, is not only significant for economic stability, but would pose security challenges as well. For instance, one-third of maritime shipping moves through the South China Sea, and with rising tensions in the area due to conflicting territorial claims, natural gas deposits, and fishing, the rerouting of some of that traffic to the Arctic could become a possibility, and perhaps a necessity. Given Russia and Canada–the former an ally of China and the latter an ally of the United States–hold the most territory within the Arctic Circle, the situation sadly presents another arena for great power competition.
This competition, however, need not be inevitable. A stronger and more democratic United Nations would be able to ensure all shipping lanes are free and open, and not subject to the interests of any sole or group of nations at the expense of others. This is why we are running a campaign to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, and we ask that you support this campaign to help bring such a United Nations into existence.
By Trent Trepanier
Photo: PBS