ENVIRONMENTAL DIPLOMACY OF THE EU IN THE ARCTIC REGION

The article is devoted to the analysis of the environmental diplomacy of the European Union in the Arctic. Through its evolution, EU Arctic policy has established the view that the Arctic is a region of increasing importance and that the Union must continue to increase its contribution and assistance to sustainable development, mitigation and adaptation to climate change in a responsible manner. sphere The Arctic is rich in natural resources that will increase in political and economic importance in the coming years. With its enormous market power and strong authority on climate policy, it is not surprising that the EU wants to strengthen its authority in the Arctic region. In its new Arctic Strategy 2021, the EU sees the Arctic as a region of peaceful cooperation with the need to slow down the effects of climate change and support sustainable development for the benefit of Arctic communities. The EU has its own interests in the Arctic, but also sees its intervention as a geopolitical power in the region as a necessary step to ensure global environmental security. The Arctic is in a geopolitical transition from a zone of “exception” where there was no geopolitical conflict to a disputed territory that is on the agenda of such great powers as Russia, the USA, the EU and even China. Great powers see the economic potential of the region and seek to become Arctic actors in order to compete in the struggle for natural resources hidden under the Arctic soil. China and Russia are aware of the economic potential of the Arctic, including new trade routes and natural resources. While the EU is also interested in this, the EU calls for a values-based approach, respecting the rule of law and is willing to cooperate with the Arctic Council and NATO. The importance of the Arctic region will only grow, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, from climate security to increased militarization and politics of great powers. The deterioration of economic and political relations between Russia and the West has shown that the Arctic is no longer an “exceptional” region. Increasing militarization, territorial claims, and competition for resources are among the many burdens of the Arctic region. This is the return of great power politics to the Far North. The crises unfolding in the European Arctic will test the EU’s ability and willingness to respond to challenges