EU wants control over Arctic

[CatInASuit]

The EU has decided that the current countries around the Arctic Circle who are supposed to steward the area and keep it a natural habitat are failing in their role as custodians.

This may have something to do with the deep water oil drilling that is going on in the area. The EU, in response, is being accused of overreacting to the current situation and using climate change as an excuse to meddle.

The cause of this is the "effect" of climate change, especially the perceived shrinkage of the ice cap and the natural impact it is having.

So is the EU right to take a stance if they think the current nations are not doing their job or is this just nations squabbling over a precious resource?

More on the story here

[Orual]

Looks like the EU butting in where they're not wanted to me.

Also:

Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Greenland deputy foreign minister ...

That is a totally awesome name.

[What Exit?]

Seems like Canada, the USA and Russia also have major stakes in this. I do hope all of the Arctic nations can get together and safe guard the area though.

[OtakuLoki]

Is this a desire to control all operations in the Arctic, or is it an attempt to force Greenland back into the EU's sphere, instead of remaining a semi-autonomous state of its own? Certainly it seems from the article that the efforts are currently being focused on Greenland. Of course, since Greenland is nominally Danish, it may just be a matter of trying to focus leverage where it's greatest.

I do find it telling that Norway is not part of the EU, and is both a major petroleum producer, and not being mentioned in the article.

I think that any major pressure by the EU on the three nations What Exit? names is far more likely to generate intransigence on the part of the US and the Russians than to lead to any effective changes.

[Peeta Mellark]

Looks like the EU butting in where they're not wanted to me.

Also:

Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Greenland deputy foreign minister ...

That is a totally awesome name.

My name is Inuuteq Holm Olsen. You have taken stewardship over the arctic. Prepare to die.

[Orual]

My name is Inuuteq Holm Olsen. You have taken stewardship over the arctic. Prepare to die.

I have it on good authority that this is Inuuteq Holm Olsen:

[CatInASuit]

No, I personally think the EU is looking to try and get some of the rather nice oil rights that will be given out when deep sea drilling begins. Don't forget the EU doesn't have much oil other than in the North Sea, most of which has already been sold off to the oil companies.

Greenland is the only one they can really put pressure on, due to its ties to Denmark. Norway, would tell them to take a running jump off a fjord. They are part of the economic trade area, without being a member of the EU itself.

[Peeta Mellark]

Exactly how much influence does the EU have over matters like this in general?

[CatInASuit]

Exactly how much influence does the EU have over matters like this in general?

It doesn't but it would love to have.

The EU is curerntly filled with career politicians who see their role as to govern everyone else, whether they want it or not and who see things like voters as annoyances who don't know their own mind and need to be told what to do.