INTERNATIONAL OCEAN POLICY AND THE ARCTIC
What happens in the UN, the EU, and global arenas for ocean governance has direct consequences for everyday life in the North. New regulations, geopolitical rivalry, and changes in the legal framework of the law of the sea affect harvesting, value creation, and Norway’s room for manoeuvre as an ocean nation. In the Arctic, this is felt particularly strongly—where great power politics, climate change, and vulnerable ecosystems intersect.
For the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic, this thematic area is about building bridges: how can international decisions be understood and applied in a Norwegian and Arctic context—and how can Northern Norwegian and Arctic perspectives gain a clearer voice where ocean policy is shaped?
Through analyses, projects, and meeting arenas, we explore:
- how global ocean policy affects Norwegian ocean industries and framework conditions in the North
- how the Arctic is being shaped by new geopolitical constellations, and what this means for cooperation and governance
- how international conservation targets, such as 30x30, are balanced against fisheries rights and commercial interests
- how EU regulations and processes, such as marine spatial planning and the Ocean Pact, affect Norway
- how Norway’s position is influenced by issues such as seabed minerals and international negotiations
- what Norway can learn from other Arctic states facing similar challenges
International ocean policy is not only about rules and agreements.
It is about ensuring predictability for coastal communities, fair competitive conditions for industry, and sustainable management of the marine areas on which we depend. By closely following developments—and participating where policy is shaped—HAV helps make complex global processes understandable for Norwegian decision-makers, industry actors, and the public.
