3: The North American Arctic Games: Between Cooperation and Rivalry

Contrary to appearances, it was not globalization that caused the problems, but they were its harbinger. As early as the twentieth century, attention was already drawn to the environmental problems threatening all humanity. It seemed that they should have instigated States to cooperate more closely in order to solve them. As O'Brien and Leichenko point out, such actions were the premise for more lasting coexistence and even reconciliation between the warring political blocs (O'Brien & Leichenko, 2000, pp. 221–232). An attempt at solving the problem of shrinking polar bear population initiated cooperation that was finalized by a treaty on the protection of polar bears. In 1973, this document was signed in Oslo by five Arctic States: the United States, Russia, Denmark, Norway, and Canada. The wording of it not only highlights Arctic flora and fauna, but above all the special role of polar bears in this ecosystem (Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, 1973). Despite the signal for cooperation, until the end of the 1980s it is difficult to notice examples of cooperation on issues such as: nuclear threat, depletion of natural resources, threats to the human environment, structurally conditioned underdevelopment, and/or demographic trends. The reasons for the lack of success were seen in ideological antagonisms or strategic rivalry between the powers (Jonson, 1990; Ugarriza, 2009). It can be seen that until the 1990s the interest of international actors in the Arctic was military in nature and strictly connected with ensuring world security and peace (Renner, 1942, p. 61). Only Gorbachev's speech on cooperation in the Arctic gave an impulse for its development between the Arctic States. He called for cooperation in the field of scientific research, environmental protection, infrastructure development, and management of Arctic resources (Gorbachev, 1987).