Geopolitics in an Unfrozen Arctic: flashpoints, future scenarios and forces shaping the circumpolar North

Geopolitics in an Unfrozen Arctic: flashpoints, future scenarios and forces shaping the circumpolar North

Author: Eric Paglia November 19, 2025 Duration: 39:48
What might the future of the Arctic look like, and in what ways has the optimistic Arctic future of 15-20 years ago taken a different path than expected at that time? Mia Bennett, associate professor at the University of Washington and producer of the Cryopolitics blog, joins the podcast to discuss the new book she has co-authored with Klaus Dodds, Unfrozen: the fight for the future of the Arctic (Yale UP 2025). The conversation covers topics such as Arctic flashpoints and future scenarios, the effects of a weakened Arctic Council on the political voice of Arctic indigenous peoples, the demise of Arctic Exceptionalism and narratives of a Global Arctic, interest in the Arctic among Asian states, Greenland, and the role of technologies in the circumpolar North. Polar Geopolitics on Twitter / X: @polargeopol Polar Geopolitics on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polargeopolitics Polar Geopolitics on SubStack: https://polargeopolitics.substack.com/  Polar Geopolitics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PolarGeopolitics    Polar Geopolitics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polargeopolitics/ Polar Geopolitics website: http://www.polargeopolitics.com Polar Geopolitics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/polargeopolitics Polar Geopolitics on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KXUVZKGALMFXU

Hosted by Eric Paglia, Polar Geopolitics-Arctic and Antarctic analysis digs into the complex forces shaping the world's most remote frontiers. This isn't just a geography lesson; it's a deep exploration of how power, policy, and environmental crisis collide at the poles. Each conversation moves beyond headlines to examine the underlying strategic currents, from the scramble for critical raw materials in Greenland to the delicate governance of the Antarctic Treaty System. You'll hear leading researchers and policymakers unpack the realities of great power competition, where the interests of the United States, China, and Russia intersect with melting ice and emerging sea routes. The discussions regularly grapple with the role of institutions like the Arctic Council, the nuances of science diplomacy, and even the unsettling potential for hybrid warfare in these fragile environments. By applying a sharp geopolitical lens, the podcast reveals how climate change and national ambition are inextricably linked, making the polar regions central to understanding our global future. Tune in for thoughtful, expert-driven analysis that connects distant ice caps to the core issues of international affairs.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

Polar Geopolitics - Arctic and Antarctic analysis
Podcast Episodes
John Holdren: Climate change, the Arctic and current U.S policies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:40
Prof. John P. Holdren is a leader of the Arctic Initiative at the Belfer Center at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. The former Chief Scientific Advisor to President Barack Obama attended the 2018 Arctic Circle Ass…
Arctic Council's ambivalent engagement with climate change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:21
Despite the Arctic Council’s core mission of promoting sustainable development and environmental protection, it has to date done little to actually combat climate change. According to Dr. Annika Nilsson — an expert on Ar…