The Quest for Resources – the Case of Greenland

Authors

  • Bent Ole Gram Mortensen University of Southern Denmark

Abstract

There is nothing new about there being major political interest in the Arctic region. The lessons of the Cold War tell their clear tale of this. However in recent years new elements have emerged. The possibility of shipping sailing through the Northwest Passage and the Northeast Passage is one of these elements. Another element is the presence of natural resources in the Arctic region. Greenland’s resources can be seen as a desirable prize in the international competition for access to resources. However, for Greenland its resources are primarily a means for achieving increased independence and welfare, and it this element that is the topic of this article which is based on an assessment of the special conditions in Greenland.

Author Biography

Bent Ole Gram Mortensen, University of Southern Denmark

Bent Ole Gram Mortensen is a professor of Law at the University of Southern Denmark. He holds a Chair in Commercial Law including especially Environmental and Energy Law. He has more than 25 years of post-graduate experience with a background in law firms, the oil industry and the Ministry of Justice in Denmark. He has since 1995 dealt with legal research in especially environmental and energy regulation. Gram Mortensen is among other things member of the Danish Energy Board of Appeal and Chairman of the Valuation Authorities in the Region of Southern Denmark in compliance with the VE-lov [Renewable Energy Act]. He has previously published more than 70 books, book chapters and articles in English, German and Danish including two articles regarding extraction of natural resources in Greenland.

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Published

2014-01-23

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2013)

Section

Articles