Abstract
This paper examines the current intersection of geopolitics and the risk of environmental degradation in Greenland. This territory has recently emerged as both a strategic geopolitical site and a focal point of ecological transformation. In the first part, the paper examines the geopolitical drama surrounding Greenland, including U.S. interest in purchasing the territory, increasing Chinese investments in rare earth mining, and Russia’s Arctic expansion strategy. These developments are contextualised within broader power realignments in the Arctic and the postcolonial dynamics of Greenland’s relationship with Denmark. In the second part, the paper turns to the environmental implications of mineral exploitation —including water pollution, ecological degradation, and pollution with heavy metals — and the latent risk of the tempting exploitation of gas and oil reserves, which could impact the delicate balance of climatic tipping points. Drawing from political geography and environmental studies, this paper argues that Greenland exemplifies a new zone of “eco-geopolitics” where climate, capital, and power converge. The analysis highlights the dangers of viewing Greenland merely as a strategic resource frontier and calls for a more cautious approach to managing Greenland’s future. Key Questions: How do contemporary geopolitical narratives frame Greenland’s strategic importance? What are the environmental consequences of renewed global interest in Greenland’s natural resources? How does the concept of “unseen unsustainability” apply to the case of Greenland? What are the concerns about the contribution of Greenland’s environmental degradation to the stability of the Earth’s ecosystem functioning?
Presenters
Maciej BazelaProfessor, Social and Political Environment, IPADE Business School, Distrito Federal, Mexico Lysete Hernandez Gamez
Visiting Professor, Social and Political Environment, IPADE Business School, Distrito Federal, Mexico José Carlos Robinson
Writer, IPADE, Mexico
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Technical, Political, and Social Responses
KEYWORDS
Greenland, Geopolitics, Environmental Costs, Strategic Competition, Eco-Geopolitics
