Greenland and the Geopolitics of the Arctic
Sun, Aug 24
|Zoom
What do the people of Greenland want for their territory amidst growing geopolitical interest in the Arctic? Join the World Affairs Council of Atlanta for a free, public webinar with the co-authors of Greenland: A Journey from Earliest Times to a Modern Society. Advanced registration is required.
Time & Location
Aug 24, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT
Zoom
About the event
As climate change accelerates the melting of Arctic ice, the region is rapidly emerging as a new geopolitical frontier. The Arctic holds immense strategic value due to its untapped natural resources—estimated to include 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30% of its natural gas—as well as critical rare earth minerals essential for modern technologies. Melting ice is also opening new maritime routes that could significantly shorten global shipping times, increasing the region’s economic and military importance.
Major powers, including the United States, Russia, and China, are expanding their presence in the Arctic, viewing it as a key arena for influence, resource competition, and military positioning. The Arctic’s role in global security is further underscored by its proximity to the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) gap, a vital chokepoint for NATO defense strategy.
Within this broader context, the Trump Administration renewed U.S. focus on Greenland as a strategic asset. Greenland’s geographic location…