Reiland, Emma-Lena (2026) Geopolitical Tensions and Environmental Resource Governance in the Arctic: A Case Study of Greenland. Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).
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Abstract
Under rapidly evolving geopolitical tensions and growing competition surrounding critical mineral supply chains, Greenland has become a focal point of international attention. As socio-environmental and security concerns converge in the climate-sensitive Arctic region, Greenland's governance structures are experiencing increasing pressure to accelerate the development of the national mining sector. This study examines how changing geopolitical dynamics and rising global demand for critical minerals are reshaping resource management in Greenland by analysing the impacts of said political and economic changes on key regional and national governance mechanisms. This research highlights that, despite its resource wealth, the autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark faces a multitude of socio-economic, political and infrastructural barriers to large-scale mineral exploitation, many of which are driven by debates regarding the socio-environmental risks of mining. Drawing on a theoretical framework combining political ecological thought with an environmental securitisation perspective, findings reveal how the securitisation of critical minerals and the emergence of urgency-driven development narratives risk reinforcing existing power asymmetries, resulting in uneven exposure to socio-environmental risks and unequal access to economic benefits for local communities. This paper concludes that the future of mining governance in Greenland is highly dependent on its ability to balance ambitions for greater political autonomy and economic development with inclusive institutional structures, socio-environmental protection and Indigenous self-determination.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Name supervisor: | Schulz, K.A. |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jun 2026 11:43 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jun 2026 11:43 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/813 |
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