The Battle for the Worldwide Natural Resources - International Strategies and their Impacts

Analysing the Conflict for Arctic Resources

Research Paper (undergraduate) , 2010 , 67 Pages

Business economics - Economic Policy

This assignment contemplates the discussion about the present conflict for the Arctic region, including the applicants’ claims for Arctic natural resources. The major focus of this work therefore is, as mentioned in the assignment’s subject, analysing the ‘battle for
natural resources’ as well as the impact for the involved economies.

During the investigation it was determined that experts of different scientific institutions do not come to the consensus about the available amount of raw materials, especially oil and gas, which are focused in this paper.

Due to the scarcity of depletable resources their importance increases and with it the run for the Arctic and its treasures. Although the amount of these resources in relation to the
known sources is assumed to be low, every new discovered deposit is of great importance for the potential owner and for the world economy.

As the Arctic is located in the high seas, there is currently no existing legislation for the case of claiming the present resources except the admiralty law. Generally, this is a unique case in world history. Among the applicants for the different regions of the
Arctic there are several conflicts about the exact borderlines.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  • Preface/Problem Description
  • Objectives
  • Scope and Structure of Work
• As-Is Situation
  • Global Allocation of Resources
  • Scope: The Arctic Region
  • Economic Portrayal of the Arctic Region
  • Summary
• Applicants for the Arctic Region and Resources
  • Preface
  • Legislation terms
  • Scope-Definition of Applicants
  • Economic Portrayal of Applicants
    • Norway
    • Russia
  • Summary
• Impact on the Applicants' Economy
  • Preface
  • Scenarios
    • Discovery of New Deposits
    • Price Formation of Depletable Natural Resources
    • Differential Rent Theory
    • Isoelastic Demand Function
  • Examples & Approaches
    • The Resource Oil
    • The Resource Gas
  • Impact on Relevant Economies
  • Summary
• Results
  • Preface
  • Results from Investigation
  • Visualisation of Results
  • Summary

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This assignment analyzes the conflict over Arctic natural resources, focusing on the impact on involved economies. The authors investigate the differing expert opinions on the quantity of resources and examine the legal complexities of resource claims in the high seas. A key case study compares Norway and Russia's competing claims in the Barents Sea, highlighting their economic interdependence despite their competing interests.

• The geopolitical conflict over Arctic resources.
• The economic implications of Arctic resource extraction for Norway and Russia.
• The legal and regulatory challenges of resource claims in the Arctic.
• Analysis of differing expert opinions regarding the quantity of Arctic resources.
• The economic interdependence of Norway and Russia in the context of Arctic resource competition.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The Introduction sets the stage by describing the conflict over Arctic resources and outlining the study's objectives. The As-Is Situation section provides context by examining global resource allocation and focusing on the Arctic region's economic profile. The chapter on Applicants for the Arctic Region and Resources details the legal framework, identifies key players (particularly Norway and Russia), and presents their respective economic situations. The section on Impact on the Applicants' Economy explores various economic scenarios, including resource discoveries and price fluctuations, and models their effects on the relevant economies using approaches like the differential rent theory. The Results section presents the findings of the investigation.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Arctic resources, natural resource conflict, Norway, Russia, Barents Sea, resource allocation, economic impact, international law, high seas, oil, gas, differential rent theory, economic interdependence.

• College: University of Applied Sciences Essen
• Authors: Silvio Wilde (Author), Daniel Franzen (Author), Thomas Kuhn (Author), Maxim Stührenberg (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 67
• Catalog Number: V187462
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656112679
• ISBN (Book): 9783656112686
• Language: English
• Tags: arctic resources, natural resources, scarcity, depletable resources, International Seabed Authority, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, NATO, United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, Oil, Gas, Norway, Russia, USA, Hubbert Curve, Peak Oil, renewable energy sources, Canada, Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, CLCS, Deposits, Differential Rent Theory