Opinion: Continued assertion of US leadership in the Arctic

This week, leaders from around the world gather in Anchorage for the 10th Annual Arctic Encounters Symposium, America’s premier Arctic event. This milestone is both an opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments in the Far North and a reminder of our continued efforts to fully demonstrate America’s leadership as an Arctic nation.

One of the surest indicators of growth over the past decade, from the first Arctic Encounters Symposium to the present, is the change in the conversations taking place at conferences. Back in 2014, we were establishing an identity in the Arctic and establishing America’s leadership role by strengthening our presence in the region. With model Arctic strategies, policies, and growing resources now in place, our discussions can focus on improving specific programs and actions.

Recent advances in the law only underscore that progress.

In Congress, I have led efforts to close the broadband gap in Alaska’s Arctic. He has announced more than $2 billion in funding for the state through bipartisan infrastructure legislation that will result in faster connections between communities and the rest of the world.

We are working to close the housing gap while investing in water and wastewater infrastructure and addressing key infrastructure needs such as the Barrow Coastal Erosion Project.

Resource development at Willow and Pikka is expected to create new jobs and billions of dollars for Alaskans as well as regional and state budgets.

And through programs like Arctic Youth Ambassadors and the Arctic Council Indigenous Affairs Office, we empower Alaska’s youth to participate in the future of their communities.

Another key focus is strengthening national security and ensuring that our Arctic defense capabilities are among the best in the world.

In the latest federal budget proposal, delegates were able to secure an additional $125 million for the Coast Guard to purchase commercial icebreakers. And over the past eight years, I’ve funneled more than $1.5 billion of her money into the Polar Security Cutter program.

This will help fill the real gap. Currently, the United States has only one operational Polar-class icebreaker, with three more authorized, but it will take years to enter the Arctic. Meanwhile, Russia already has 18 Polar-class icebreakers, with six more planned. We have made progress, but we must continue to work until our icebreaker fleet can provide the capabilities and presence needed to support polar programs and national security interests.

The Port of Nome is another example of how the United States is building infrastructure, civil security, and defense capabilities in the Arctic. We secured her $250 million for port expansion. The port will feature a deepwater basin that will support future commercial, tourism, security and defense needs.

We have made great strides in Arctic infrastructure and defense capabilities, but the rapidly changing region requires more investment and attention than ever before.

Climate change is a double-edged sword, presenting opportunities for shipping, resource development and even tourism, all of which are under existential threat. These threats range from receding sea ice and coastal erosion to changing wildlife migration patterns and thawing permafrost with impacts on food security, to name just a few.

And then there is Russia’s devastating war against Ukraine, now in its third year. The war itself is understandably at the forefront, with its effects spreading across the Arctic, from the long suspension of activities in the Arctic Council to the collapse of important scientific cooperation and Russia’s overfishing of seafood. There is. Russia has also made risky choices, such as shipping oil through the Bering Strait in non-ice-class tankers. President Putin’s criminal actions threaten the rules-based order and stability of the Arctic.

Our work in the Arctic continues at the national and international level. My two immediate priorities are confirming Alaska native Mike Sfraga as the first U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for the Arctic, and acceding the United States to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Help set the agenda for the global maritime domain.

International officials and policy experts discuss these and many other issues at every Arctic Encounter Symposium. This year’s commemorations are the latest demonstration that within a decade, the United States will no longer be a bystander or a supporting player in the Arctic, but will be ready, willing, and able to lead its future.

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