Abstract
Climate change and global warming have put the Arctic Ocean on the politic, economic, scientific and diplomatic agendas worldwide. While the involvement of non-arctic nations in discussions regarding the fate of this still largely pristine part of the world is a bone of contention for many, and particularly for circumpolar countries, ensuring peace and stability in the Arctic Ocean is a matter of global concern. Despite having no inherent strategic interest in the north polar region, France has over the years reinforced its involvement, position and views regarding the future of the northern regions via its scientific, politic and diplomatic actions. This short paper presents a non-exhaustive list of French institutes carrying out scientific research on the poles, some associations and non-governmental organisations aimed at bridging the gap between science and governance, the duty of involvement of France in case of a conflict emerging in the Arctic region, through its position as a Member State in NATO and the European Union, and the diplomatic actions undertaken by the country via the nomination of an Ambassador for the international negotiations on the Arctic and the Antarctic.
The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of the French Embassy in the United Kingdom.
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Heintz, M. (2013). Perspectives from a Non-Arctic Nation: The Case of France. In: Berkman, P., Vylegzhanin, A. (eds) Environmental Security in the Arctic Ocean. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4713-5_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4713-5_12
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