With climate change occurring three times faster in the polar regions than elsewhere on the planet, Arctic polar waters are becoming increasingly accessible to maritime traffic and vast hydrocarbon resources, particularly during longer summer periods. The construction of Russian icebreakers and massive hydrocarbon extraction projects have never been as significant as in this decade. Are the shorter Arctic shipping routes destined to rival the traditional ones through the Panama and Suez Canals? Is the increase in maritime traffic a source of tension in this increasingly exploited area? This work helps to better understand the maritime, environmental, economic, and geopolitical issues related to the exploitation of this Arctic space by describing the principles that govern them.
