Arctic Council logo – Fair Use

In May, Denmark, quietly sophisticated, often underestimated, took over the chair of the Arctic Council. Its leadership mattered not just for climate and security, but for how smaller countries navigate great-power rivalries in a literally thawing world.

For the remaining eighteen months, Denmark will continue setting the agenda for a region that’s no longer the silent, frozen corner it once was. I’m no Arctic expert but even last May it was obvious this would be a defining moment.

My great-great-grandfather, Jens Bach, sat for decades in the Danish parliament, travelling regularly from Thisted in northern Jutland to Copenhagen. This was two islands and a heroic commute away. In his day, Greenland came up often. Denmark was moving towards a more formal rule over what they called “the big island in the north.” Inevitably, Greenland still comes up. Geography and history have long half-lives in Danish politics.

Copenhagen, for instance, has announced new Arctic defense spending. This includes radar in East Greenland, drones, and upgraded patrol ships. Nothing flashy, Denmark doesn’t really do flashy, but certainly deliberate. Around the Arctic table sit the US, Russia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden,........

© CounterPunch