Race for the Arctic: Power, Resources & the Next Global Frontier

The Arctic is no longer a frozen backwater—it is the next arena of global power competition. As climate change rapidly melts sea ice, new shipping routes, untapped energy reserves, and strategic military corridors are emerging, triggering an intense geopolitical race among major powers. This Global Eye Intelligence report delivers a comprehensive strategic assessment of why the Arctic is becoming one of the most critical theatres of the 21st century.

The analysis examines Russia’s aggressive Arctic militarisation, icebreaker dominance, and energy expansion; China’s ambitions as a self-declared “near-Arctic state” advancing the Polar Silk Road; and the United States, Canada, and NATO’s renewed focus on Arctic security, sovereignty patrols, and deterrence. It unpacks the scramble for oil, gas, rare earths, and undersea resources, alongside growing disputes over continental shelves, sea lanes, and governance gaps under UNCLOS.

Beyond geopolitics, the report highlights environmental fragility, risks to Indigenous communities, and the absence of a comprehensive Arctic security framework—factors that could turn competition into confrontation. For policymakers, defence planners, investors, and strategic analysts, this brief offers early warning insight into how climate, resources, and power are colliding at the top of the world.

The Arctic is opening faster than global rules can adapt. Those who understand it early will shape trade routes, energy security, and strategic dominance for decades to come. Follow Global Eye Intelligence to stay ahead of emerging geopolitical frontiers before they redefine global order.