SUBJECTS

• Greenland is the largest island in the world: with an area of 2,166,000 km² and a population of approximately 56,000 inhabitants, it is under Danish sovereignty, although it has broad autonomy as established in its 2009 Self-Government Act. The ice sheet covers approximately 80% of the island.

Background: Greenland and the United States (20th century)

The island’s location and large size aroused great interest from the United States of America (USA), especially after World War II.

• As part of the Allied defence in WWII, Denmark had allowed the USA to establish military bases in Greenland.
• In 1946, facing increasing tensions with the Soviet Union, the US government made a formal offer of 100 million dollars to Denmark to purchase the island. However, the offer was rejected by the Danish government, which has always maintained that “Greenland is not for sale”.
• With the creation of NATO in 1949, the USA ensured continued military presence in Greenland. Of the nine military bases the USA has had on the island, only one remains operational today: Thule (or Pituffik), completed in 1951.

Greenland and the European Union

Greenland’s autonomy is also demonstrated in its relations with the European Union (EU). Although Denmark became an EU Member State in 1973, which also implied Greenland’s entry, the island held a referendum in 1982 to decide on its membership: a majority of 53% of Greenlanders voted in favour of leaving the EU.

The main concern at that time was the preservation of the local fishing sector, which still represents about 90% of Greenland’s exports. With entry into the European single market, local fishermen feared being affected by competition from other EU Member States, who would also gain access to Greenlandic waters.

Greenland formally exited the EU in 1985 and was, in fact, the first territory to voluntarily leave.

Greenland’s mineral wealth

According to a study by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), the island possesses deposits where up to 38 minerals considered essential or “critical” could be found. These minerals are of increasing value due to their high utility in supplying priority sectors: renewable energy, electric mobility, telecommunications systems, aerospace engineering, and defence.

The European Union draws up lists of what it considers “critical raw materials” (currently 34), most of which are mineral in origin and are also found in Greenland.

• At the end of 2023, the European Commission and the Greenlandic government signed a strategic partnership on “sustainable value chains” for these minerals.
• With the goal of achieving greater strategic autonomy, European institutions seek to take measures to reduce supply risks for critical raw materials.

In Greenland’s case, many mineral extraction projects are still in the exploration phase.

The role of China and Russia

The Northern Sea Route is an alternative to the traditional Suez Canal route, providing a way to reach European ports from East Asia. Due to the accelerated melting of the Arctic, China and Russia have made significant investments in port infrastructure, icebreaker fleets, and navigation systems adapted to the extreme conditions of the passage, meaning the Northern Sea Route can reduce the travel time of international maritime transport.

As a direct consequence of climate change, the Arctic is navigable for more months each year. Estimates suggest that from eastern China, the Northern Sea Route entails a journey of approximately 20–25 days to the port of Rotterdam (Netherlands), covering a distance of 13,000 kilometers. In contrast, the same origin and destination via the traditional Suez Canal route involves a journey of 20,000 kilometers and 30–35 days.