Soft solutions for hard problems

Views on the future of the Arctic range from dire predictions of a mad scramble for the resources of the north, possibly resulting in violent conflict, to more sanguine projections of peaceful solutions leading to circumpolar governance. ' Current policies of the Arctic states - Canada, Denmark (with Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States - are guided by international law. The states' actions testify to their prime interest in consensual solutions to the region's conflicts. This article will analyze the explanations for this behaviour on the part of the Arctic states. By looking at the resolution of past divergences, the article will project scenarios that may contribute to solving existent or future conflicts in the north. In this endeavour, this author owes much to the insight, advice, and criticism of many colleagues, as will be made clear below.