NATO Committee Debate Over Security Of The Arctic and Russia As A Potential Threat

CNN | 10:45 a.m. PT | Reporting by Brayden Chan

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization started on the topic of Arctic sovereignty, with many delegates expressing their concerns of Russia, the only one of the eight arctic states which is not part of NATO, and Indigenous cooperation in the upper north. Though similar thoughts seem to be in many of the delegates, the topic of choice will certainly bring up some disagreement.

Most of the Nordic allies of NATO made a collaborative bloc where their aim was to conserve arctic environment by preventing Russian forces from accessing precious resources such as oil, and increasing NATO presence in the north. They also aim to prevent arctic warming and support countries in the area of “Permafrost, fog, and melting ice are still a problem and solutions can include curbing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, um, as a way to address the root cause of Arctic warming occurring nearly 4 times faster than the global average, raising buildings, pipelines, and roads on steel frames or stilts to allow cold winter air to flow freely underneath, stopping heat from transferring into the ground. ” says the bloc speakers.

Many of the delegates have also been aware of Russia’s presence in northern sovereignty and believe due to Russia, they feel the need to strengthen the Northern Atlantic treaty organization territories. They also are prepared for the case where Russia joins forces with China. In this severe case, NATO must consult Russia to find diplomatic solutions that are within the line of international law. They also wish to monitor China and Russia’s nuclear weaponry and have defense measures in place for any possible outcomes.

After their debates over their security over the Northern territories, they also came to an agreement over protecting Indigenous rights as part of national sovereignty. They plan to protect rights and the people of Indigenous, even if they happen to come into conflict. “Arctic security should not come at the expense of peace,” says the bloc leaders. “Indigenous rights are part of national sovereignty. This resolution must be supported before any decision is taken, in order to safeguard more traditional cooperation with the Arctic.”

Clearly, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mostly agreed with each other and were not opposing ideas as of this session. With high stakes of Russian force and the risk of losing peace and security throughout the North Atlantic, a solution that will prove effective will be hard to come by.