The Arctic - opportunities and challenges: the economic, social, and political impacts of climate change in the Arctic and the need for cooperation.

Climate change update

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/approach/monitoring/sea-ice/2026/arctic-and-antarctic-end-of-season-report---october-2026

The new sea route

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-10/chinese-cargo-ship-completes-arctic-voyage-to-uk/107134378

The EU’s new strategy, October 2026

https://commission.europa.eu/news-and-media/news/eu-strategy-rapidly-changing-arctic-2026-10-20_en

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_2203

https://arcticportal.org/news-events/news/4183-european-union-updates-its-arctic-policy

NATO, tensions with Russia October 2026

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/arctic-week-take-five-week-october-12-2026/

NATO, July 2026

https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/deterrence-and-defence/arctic-security

The EU and China

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20261022-china-slams-cold-war-mentality-after-new-eu-arctic-plan

The Arctic Coucil

https://www.belfercenter.org/research-analysis/revitalizing-arctic-council

Italy and the Arctic

https://www.esteri.it/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/comunicati/2026/01/artico-domani-la-presentazione-del-documento-strategico-sullimpegno-italiano/

https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/WEB_strategia-artica-italiana_ENG_16012026.pdf

https://www.esteri.it/it/temi/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/litalia-e-lartico/

https://www.iai.it/it/pubblicazioni/c41/geopolitical-and-geoeconomic-aspects-italys-arctic-strategy

International Law and Governance of Arctic Marine Resources

https://link.springer.com/subjects/international-law-and-governance-of-arctic-marine-resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea

https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/news/high-seas-treaty-enters-force-milestone-ocean-conservation-2026-01-16_en#:~:text=They%20contain%20marine%20resources%20and,activities%20in%20the%20high%20seas.

https://www.arcticwwf.org/newsroom/features/the-high-seas-treaty-what-does-it-mean-for-the-arctic/

https://arctic-council.org/news/introduction-to-international-agreement-to-prevent-unregulated-fishing-in-the-high-seas-of-the-central-arctic-ocean/

Restoring Arctic Exceptionalism

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/restraint-diplomacy-restoring-arctic-exceptionalism/

https://polarconnection.org/a-new-arctic-exceptionalism/

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/arctic-week-take-five-week-16-march-2026/

The evolving situation regarding Greenland

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-seeks-access-to-3-new-defense-areas-in-greenland-report/3877927

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/groenlandia-il-punto-di-rottura-227710

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/18/trump-greenland-republican-party

2025 Russia and NATO's military presence in the broader Arctic

https://www.statista.com/chart/33824/military-bases-in-the-arctic-belonging-to-nato-and-russia/

https://www.esteri.it/it/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/litalia-e-lartico/

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/litalia-e-lartico/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Council

https://nsidc.org/sea-ice-today/analyses/arctic-sea-ice-sets-record-low-maximum-2025

https://essydo.com/2025/03/23/cold-rush-resource-competition-and-environmental-challenges-in-the-arctic/

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2025/769527/EPRS_BRI(2025)769527_EN.pdf

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/rising-tensions-shifting-strategies-evolving-dynamics-us-grand-strategy-arctic/

https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2025-february-27/

https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/arctic-defence

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/russias-arctic-military-posture-context-war-against-ukraine/

https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/how-russia-is-preparing-for-war-in-the-arctic-6622

This first video has a lot to say about Italy and the Arctic. Some of the links you may need to copy instead of clicking on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX-RI0odqtQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfw3LJm1DDM&t=3369s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D_f0T_XBHc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjqPlhXnugI

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=720487422190375

https://www.centrostudi-italiacanada.it/articles/italy_canada_and_the_arctic_same_values_and_common_goals-213

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2024)754604

https://esthinktank.com/2024/01/10/arctic-exceptionalism-or-ice-curtain-collaboration-and-conflict-in-the-arctic-amid-escalating-geopolitical-strains/

https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/2024/04/09/canada-vows-renewed-focus-on-arctic-defense-equipment-purchases/

and Italy’s strategy: https://www.difesa.it/assets/allegati/86996/web_strategia-artica-italiana_14012026.pdf

https://www.governo.it/it/node/30785 President Meloni’s message on the new Italian Strategy for the Arctic

https://stream24.ilsole24ore.com/video/italia/tajani-l-italia-ha-visione-strategica-artico/AI2g0Eu

The first few articles contain good introductory material to outline the current situation and frame the questions

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3213/2022-arctic-summer-sea-ice-tied-for-10th-lowest-on-record/

https://www.france24.com/en/russia/20220420-war-in-ukraine-threatens-geopolitical-balance-in-the-arctic

https://www.cfr.org/report/arctic-governance#:~:text=These%20issues%20include%3A%20opposing%20North,status%20of%20the%20Northeast%20and

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/international_issues/arctic_en.htm

https://www.iai.it/en/pubblicazioni/arctic-within-eu-strategies-renewed-centrality

https://www.aies.at/download/2023/AIES-Fokus-2023-05.pdf

https://arcticfrontiers.com/2023-wrap-up/

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/frna_-_eng_-interne_-_17-06-web_cle4fcfcc.pdf

https://www.ocean-climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/the-arctic_07-9.pdf

https://arctic-council.org/en/

https://www.interreg-npa.eu/arctic-cooperation/

https://carnegieeurope.eu/2019/11/28/military-and-environmental-challenges-in-arctic-pub-80424

https://www.arcticcentre.org/EN/arcticregion/Arctic-Indigenous-Peoples#

https://www.intechopen.com/books/arctic-studies-a-proxy-for-climate-change/indigenous-communities-in-the-arctic-change-in-socio-economic-and-environmental-perspective

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/return-great-power-competition-arctic/

https://www.interreg-npa.eu/about/programme-in-brief/

https://www.interreg-npa.eu/

https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/whats-stake-rising-competition-arctic

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52915807

https://www.severe-weather.eu/news/arctic-circle-oil-spill-disaster-fa/

https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/covid-19-arctic-the-arctic-institute-winter-series-2020-2021/

https://www.arctictoday.com/covid-19-and-the-arctic/

https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/44959/we-are-going-to-the-arctic/

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/issues/protect-the-arctic/

https://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/tag/arctic/

https://pame.is/mema/MEMAdatabase/349_Arctic%20Human%20Development%20Report.pdf

more on Italy

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/litalia-e-lartico/

https://amboslo.esteri.it/en/news/dall_ambasciata/2023/10/italy-at-the-2023-arctic-circle/ 2023

https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/italys-growing-interest-arctic 2022 SIOI

https://www.esteri.it/it/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/

https://www.esteri.it/it/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/italia-e-artico/

https://www.esteri.it/en/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/artico/

https://www.osservatorioartico.it/strategia-italia-artico/  (2020)

 https://www.camera.it/temiap/documentazione/temi/pdf/1105156.pdf (2018)

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2016/06/strategy_for_the_arctic_may_2016.pdf  (2016)

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2016/06/italy_in_the_arctic.pdf (2016)

https://www.marina.difesa.it/EN/Conosciamoci/notizie/Pagine/20161215_eppr.aspx (2016)

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2019/11/verso_una_strategia_italiana_per_lartico__linee_guida_nazionali.pdf  (2015)

https://narfu.ru/upload/iblock/065/11_lagutina.pdf

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/aree_geografiche/europa/artico

https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/sala_stampa/archivionotizie/approfondimenti/2015/04/venice-international-university.html

Then whatever else you have time for:

http://tietokayttoon.fi/documents/10616/3866814/15_Arctic+Europe_Bringing+together+the+EU+Arctic+Policy.pdf/761dc7e8-ad2d-4d9a-a2f2-f0436efd5063?version=1.0

http://www.ocean-climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/the-arctic_07-9.pdf

http://safety4sea.com/challenges-opportunities-emerging-arctic-change/

http://www.highnorthnews.com/op-ed-quo-vadis-arctic-the-european-union-and-its-northern-neighbourhood/

https://www.fni.no/news/the-european-union-and-the-geopolitics-of-the-arctic-article1671-330.html

https://accelfellowship.wordpress.com/opportunities-and-challenges-economic-social-and-political-impacts-of-climate-change-in-the-arctic/

http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/aree_geografiche/europa/artico

http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/politica_estera/aree_geografiche/europa/artico/strategia-dell-italia-nell-artico.html

http://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2016/06/italy_in_the_arctic.pdf

http://barentsobserver.com/en/energy/2013/11/italian-arctic-strategy-unfolding-russian-oil-29-11

http://www.greenpeace.org/italy/it/campagne/Salviamo-il-clima/Save-The-Arctic/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/20/italian-composer--ludovico-einaudi-solemn-gig-in-the-arctic/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/arctic-development-stalls_us_56a2b40be4b076aadcc6c444

http://energyfuse.org/low-oil-prices-undercut-arctic-oil-dreams/

http://www.reuters.com/article/oil-europe-investment-idUSL4N0SM3Y420141028

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Passage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpolar_Sea_Route

http://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/pdf/Backgrounder_ClimateChange_FINAL.pdf

http://www.greenfacts.org/en/arctic-climate-change/l-2/7-effects-on-people.htm

http://www.arcticcentre.org/EN/communications/arcticregion/Arctic-Indigenous-Peoples

http://unchronicle.un.org/article/climate-change-arctic-inuit-reality/

So you could approach the topic by explaining, or outlining hopes and concerns, about:

1) the effects of recent climate change on the Arctic region and the opportunities and challenges these changes bring.

2) the dangers to the environment and to the indigenous and other local peoples

3) who the main actors are and what their interests are.

4) cooperation – the institutional framework and the reality on the ground

5) Italy and the EU’s position

6) competition for resources on the ground

7) military tensions between Russia and NATO countries and China’s interest in the area

In an essay you should give real examples throughout and refer to events and statements from the recent past to 2026. In your conclusion you could quickly summarise the opportunities, challenges and dangers and stress the need for and Italy’s commitment to multilateralism and protection of the environment and its inhabitants.