12. The European Union’s Northern Window—A New View on the World

The Arctic is dramatically warming up. This not only badly affects the region and its people, but also has significant consequences for the whole European Union—beyond the fact that part of the Arctic is in the EU. Hence, addressing climate change, a major challenge for the Arctic, is a key priority for the EU in general and for its Arctic policy in particular. Also, given the growing environmental, economic, social and political implications of the changing Arctic, the European Union has developed its own Arctic Policy, through a 2016 Joint Communication, which is an integral part of the EU Global Strategy. The EU is well aware of the fact that the warming up of the Arctic is creating new economic opportunities, permitting easier access to the rich natural resources of the Arctic region and is opening up new sea lanes. It seeks to counteract climate change, promote sustainable development, engage in all relevant regional and multilateral fora—most obviously the Arctic Council, engage with all Arctic and relevant non-Arctic States, and interact with the People of the Arctic. The Union’s overarching key objective is to keep the Arctic as a zone of low tension, peace, constructive dialogue and cooperation. Indeed, maintaining a safe, stable, sustainable and prosperous Arctic is of manifest strategic importance to the EU, as it is for the region itself and its people, as well as for the rest of the world.