Russia resubmitted a claim to the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday, Aug. 4, over about 1.2 million square kilometers of the Arctic seabed. The claim is said to signify the country's aim to own much of the region that is filled with mineral sources, something other countries have been fighting for as well.
According to Russian nationals, the Lomonosov Ridge, a mountain range found under the water, is located along the stretch of the Arctic Sea that is part of its own Eurasian landmass. This Arctic seabed stretches up to the North Pole.
"The Russian bid covers underwater area of some 1.2 million square kilometers extending for more than 350 nautical miles from the coast," stated the Russian Foreign Ministry. An extensive display of information based on science were collated over a period of many years dedicated to Arctic research. The findings point to the justification that the area in question indeed belongs to Russia.
More than 10 years have passed since the UN renounced the same claim of Russia. The international organization asked the country to provide more concrete evidence to support the claim back then. With this, Russian president Vladimir Putin prioritized the success of territorial claims, widening the presence of military personnel in the area.
Russia continues to stake its claim over the Arctic bed, following what is stated in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. Since Russia already submitted a claim in 2002, the recent bid is said to be placed under an emergency priority review, in accordance with the policies and rules of the Commission. This crops up an expectation on the side of Russia for the Commission to start the investigations before autumn 2015 begins, says the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The economy of Russia is largely dependent on its natural resources. With the estimated richness of the Arctic's oil and gas supplies as climate change ensues, ice melts and technology modernizes, the said resources will become more widely available. Many other countries including the United States, Norway, Denmark and Canada have been attracted to the potential of these resources. Large private companies have also expressed desires to plunge in as plans for extensive drilling campaigns are said to be in process.
Environmental campaigners think the buzz that the Arctic territories have created carry risks. According to Greenpeace, Russia's plan to claim the area is "ominous."
"The melting of the Arctic ice is uncovering a new and vulnerable sea, but countries like Russia and Norway want to turn it into the next Saudi Arabia," the campaigners said.
Photo: Christopher Michel | Flickr
