Thread by @InsiderGeo

Why is everyone from Trump to China obsessed with Greenland and the Arctic? It’s not just ice and polar bears. It’s about power, money, and the future of the world. Here’s why the Arctic is the new battleground 🧵👇 1/20

1/The Arctic was once dismissed as a frozen wasteland. But today, it’s a geopolitical hotspot melting ice has unlocked new shipping routes, resources, and strategic opportunities. And with that comes competition sometimes cooperation, but mostly conflict.

2/The Arctic is warming 4x faster than the rest of the planet, making it one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. This is melting ice that’s been there for centuries, opening access to places and resources once impossible to reach.

3/The melting ice has uncovered game-changing trade routes like the Northern Sea Route (above Russia) and the Northwest Passage (through Canada), Why does this matter? These routes cut weeks off shipping times between Asia, Europe, and North America.

4/Beneath the Arctic lie some of the world’s most valuable resources:

30% of untapped natural gas.

13% of the world's undiscovered oil.

Rare earths, essential for tech like electric vehicles, smartphones, and military systems.

5/Greenland isn’t just a chunk of ice. It’s a strategic goldmine for resources and military positioning though it’s autonomous, it’s still tied to Denmark making it a key player in Arctic politics

6/In 2019, Trump suggested buying Greenland. Crazy? Maybe. But the logic was sound:

It’s rich in resources.

It’s positioned perfectly near the Arctic Circle.

It could counter Russia and China.

Denmark called it “absurd,”

7/The Arctic isn’t a free-for-all. It’s governed by the Arctic Council, an 8-nation group:
🇺🇸 U.S.
🇷🇺 Russia
🇨🇦 Canada
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇳🇴 Norway
🇮🇸 Iceland
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇫🇮 Finland

8/Russia is dominating the Arctic game:

It has the largest Arctic coastline.

It owns 50+ icebreakers (compared to 6 for the U.S.).

It’s building military bases, expanding oil/gas projects, and increasing Arctic patrols.

9/The U.S. is stepping up its Arctic presence, especially as Russia grows bolder.

In 2020, it reopened its consulate in Greenland (after 67 years).

It’s increasing military spending in Alaska and Greenland to counter Russian and Chinese activity.

10/China has no Arctic borders, yet it calls itself a "near-Arctic state." Why?

It wants access to Arctic resources.

It’s investing heavily in Arctic infrastructure and research.

It sees the Arctic as part of its long-term economic and military strategy.

11/NATO allies like 🇺🇸 U.S. 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇳🇴 Norway, and 🇩🇰 Denmark are ramping up their Arctic presence to counteract Russia. Greenland plays a key role, hosting NATO’s radar and surveillance systems to monitor Arctic activity.

12/Canada controls the Northwest Passage another major Arctic shipping route but the U.S. disputes Canada claim calling the passage an "international strait.

Canada is also expanding its Arctic military presence with new patrol ships and investments in northern infrastructure

13/Who owns the Arctic? Under international law (UNCLOS), countries can claim parts of the seabed if they prove it’s part of their continental shelf.

Here’s the conflict:

Denmark, Russia, and Canada all claim the North Pole.

14/ The U.S. hasn’t ratified UNCLOS but is staking claims anyway, this legal battle is far from over.

15/Beyond resources, the Arctic creates new industries:

Greenland’s mining projects could dominate rare earth production.

Arctic tourism is growing as the region becomes more accessible.

Fisheries are expanding into previously frozen waters.

16/But there’s a dark side:

Melting ice causes rising sea levels, threatening coastal cities.

Arctic drilling increases the risk of oil spills and pollution.

Fragile ecosystems and Indigenous communities face displacement.

17/The Arctic is increasingly a stage for a new Cold War:

🇷🇺 Russia, 🇨🇳 China, and 🇺🇸 NATO allies are racing for dominance.

Military activity, territorial disputes, and resource competition are rising.

The stakes couldn’t be higher.

18/The Arctic affects us all:

Shipping routes impact global trade (and your delivery times).

Resource control affects prices for energy and tech.

Climate change in the Arctic affects weather patterns globally.

19/The Arctic is where the next big power plays are happening, and Greenland is right at the center. When Trump floated buying Greenland, when he comes back into power, we’ll see what he does about it.

This isn’t just politics; it’s the future of trade, energy, and power.

20/ I tried to make this thread as simple and clear as possible so everyone can understand why the Arctic and especially Greenland is so important. It’s a key place that a lot of global powers are fighting over.

Hope this helped break it down for you.