Spanning 2026–2040, the document aims to support polar research and, above all, to strengthen defense interests, albeit without any guaranteed funding. The poles are no longer just the planet’s thermostats. The Arctic and Antarctic are indeed on the frontlines of climate change, heavily impacted by rising temperatures, melting ice and sea ice, and shifting species. But they are now also at the center of major geopolitical tensions, as their reserves of strategic minerals, hydrocarbons, and fishery resources attract global interest.
To address these “tensions” and “threats,” France has just updated its polar strategy, publishing a new edition on Wednesday, December 3, covering 2026–2040. The strategy aims to ensure that France remains a “global leader in polar research” while contributing to peace and stability in these extreme regions.
The previous roadmap, released in 2022, “is already outdated from a geopolitical standpoint,” explains Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, Ambassador for the Poles and Maritime Affairs, who developed the strategy in collaboration with numerous ministries (defense, research, etc.).
Source: Le Monde
