加拿大面对的北极挑战:主权、安全与认同

由于全球暖化对北极地区产生的影响,使得北极资源开采与航运的战略价值再度成为人们关注的亮点。西北航道开通的可能性,以及北极蕴藏的丰富石油、天然气与矿物,让观察家认为加拿大北极主权问题将再度成为争议的核心。美加之间多年来关于西北航道控制权的争议,以及环北极国家之间因大陆架延伸的重叠而发生纠纷,并非一定会导致冲突,相反地,透过协调与外交斡旋或许对各方更有利。加拿大北极主权问题,其实也是认同问题,而加拿大必须展现对北极地区更多的投入意愿。

Canadian Arctic and Identity

With the onset of climate change effects in the Arctic,resource exploitation and shipping have again been the object of speculation regarding the scope of their strategic value.As scenarios emerge of potential seaways and of abundant oil,gas and mineral deposits,several observers developed the idea that theses riches would trigger the questioning of sovereignty over the Canadian Arctic.The decades-old dispute with the United States regarding the status of the Northwest Passage is now paralleled with the issue of the extension of the continental shelf and its likely overlap with claims from the other Arctic countries.However,far from a confrontation-prone situation,the disputes could very well be solved with negotiations,as the threat put forth by the media and the government is more an echo of identity issues than of strategic competition between Arctic States.