Military protection affects climate on Greenland
In the media image: Tina Rolf on Unsplash
The increased military presence around Greenland aims to provide security, but it also affects the climate on the vulnerable island and adds to geopolitical tensions. Hilde Woker, an expert in international and maritime law, commented in NRC newspaper.
The pressure is mounting following public statements made by Donald Trump, who is strategically positioning Greenland to counter Russian and Chinese influence. The melting ice sheet makes sea routes around Greenland accessible for part of the year. But ships have the right of passage at sea anyway, Woker says. In addition, the United States has had far-reaching military powers on the island since World War II, though it has invested less in recent years. ‘Everything indicates that [Trump] is mainly concerned with the raw materials.’
Greenlanders have expressed a desire for independence in the long term. Woker says that ‘the independence process in Greenland has been seriously disrupted by all the international interference.’ It is forcing the island to make quick choices about security and international partnerships, while the influence of major powers is rising. The situation is playing out against the background of preserving the Inuit culture and norms and values which are so important to the Greenlanders. Woker explains that many indigenous peoples live and think in a very different way to that of the Western world.
After all the unrest about Greenland following Trump's statements, Europe has become more interested in the country and is offering it European and NATO protection. If the inhabitants of Greenland are forced to choose between Denmark – with which they also have a complicated relationship – or the United States, they will choose Denmark, with all the protection that option brings. 'Exchanging the old coloniser for a new one is not an option for the population.'
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Read the full article in NRC (€, in Dutch)