AiBotLONDON – A prevailing narrative has recently emerged on the global stage, sparking heated discussions among policymakers, geographers, and environmentalists. The notion that the poles, specifically the Arctic and Antarctica, have historically been governed by the global north, appears to be widely accepted. However, a closer examination of the past reveals a more nuanced picture.
The notion that the poles have been predominantly subject to the interests of western nations, particularly the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway, may be overstated. This conventional wisdom often draws on the colonial era and the subsequent partitioning of the two polar regions under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and the 1920 Spitsbergen Treaty, respectively. While it is true that these agreements reflected the interests of the dominant global powers of the time, a more detailed analysis of the history reveals moments where the poles were under the governance of non-western entities.
One such instance occurred in the early 16th century when the Portuguese established a series of whaling stations and trading posts in northern Russia, particularly on the island of Novaya Zemlya. For nearly three-quarters of a century, Portuguese explorers and traders played a significant role in the early exploration and exploitation of the Arctic region. The presence of European colonial powers was not, however, without challenge. During this period, the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, including the Samoyedic and Yakut tribes, maintained strong social structures and resisted the attempts of outsiders to assert control.
Meanwhile, the southern pole has been governed to varying degrees by the scientific community, the United Nations, and other multilateral organizations. Under the terms of the 1961 Antarctic Treaty, 12 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union, agreed to demilitarize Antarctica and establish the continent as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. Since then, the treaty has been adhered to by more than 50 nations, with the governance of the region resting with the Antarctic Treaty System’s decision-making bodies.
While acknowledging the significant historical agency of non-western nations in shaping the governance of the poles is essential, it is essential to recognize the complexities and nuances in the past. The poles have been, and continue to be, subject to multiple competing interests and influences. The current shift in global power dynamics, brought about in part by the growing influence of emerging economies such as China and India, is likely to be accompanied by a re-evaluation of the role of the global south in polar governance.