Grønlands Selvstyre versus Greenland Minerals: Historik, procesforløb, implikationer for fremtidig mineral efterforskning

Flemming G Christiansen

doi:10.7577/nat.5846

Authors

Flemming G Christiansen flemmingGC https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6098-9402

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7577/nat.5846

Keywords:

Grønland, Kvanefjeld, Uran, Voldgiftssag, Retssag

Abstract

For many years, minerals and energy have been an important part of Greenlandic politics fueled by a strong desire to become economically independent of Denmark. In periods, large revenues have been provided for Greenlandic society, but in recent years with a relatively low level of activity and a declining interest from investors. Although there are many reasons for variations in resource investments globally, the decline seems paradoxically to be conditioned by political decisions and administrative procedures in Greenland. Among the main problems is a long-standing political disagreement among the governing parties over uranium. The history and the background for the initial course of the ongoing arbitration case and the upcoming court case between the Self-Government of Greenland and the licensee of the Kvanefjeld project, are introduced. The case is expected to be lengthy through several courts and may have a major impact on Greenland’s economy and further exploration and exploitation of resources.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Alomar, R. C. & Gad, U. P. (2024). Wooing foreign investors: Greenland should prepare for the next dispute. DIIS Policy Brief 23. April 2024, 4 pp.

Andersson, P. & Zeuthen, J. W. (2024). How China left Greenland. In Jacobsen, M., Wæver, O. & Pram, U. G. (Eds.), Greenland in Arctic Security: (De)securitization Dynamics Under Climatic Thaw and Geopolitical Freeze, Chapter 6. E-book, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.12676130

Bailleul, P. (2022). Radioactive minerals in Greenland: geological, legal and political fluctuations of nuclearity (1950–2022). Ruling on Nature Animals and the Environment before the Court, Jun 2022, Aubervilliers, France. ffhalshs-03903273.

Bianco, N. (2019). Ender Grønlands økonomi og erhvervsudvikling i fisk? Politik, 22(1), 28–48. https://doi.org/10.7146/politik.v22i1.114839

Bjørst, L. R. (2016). Saving or destroying the local community? Conflicting spatial storylines in the greenlandic debate on uranium. The Extractive Industries and Society, 3, 34–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2015.11.006

Bjørst, L. R. (2017). Uranium: The road to economic self-sustainability for Greenland? Changing uranium-positions in Greenlandic politics. In Fondahl, G., & Wilson, G. N. (Eds.), Northern sustainabilities: Understanding and addressing change in the circumpolar world, 25–34. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46150-2_3

Bjørst, L., Sejersen, F., & Thisted, K. (2022). Affective approaches – rethinking emotions in resource extraction. In Sverker Sörlin (Ed.), Resource Extraction and Arctic Communities: The New Extractivist Paradigm. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009110044.012

Christiansen, F. G. (2021). Greenland Petroleum Exploration History: Rise and fall, learnings, and future perspectives. Resources Policy, 74, 102425 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102425

Christiansen, F. G. (2022). Greenland mineral exploration history. Mineral Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13563-022-00350-2

Christiansen, F. G. (2023). Grønlands mineral- og olieefterforskningshistorie i internationalt politisk perspektiv. Internasjonal Politikk, 81(1), 1-16. http://dx.doi.org/10.23865/intpol.v81.4155

Christiansen, F. G., Whitehead, D., Bojesen-Koefoed, J. A., Boserup, J., & Christiansen, O. (2024). Drilling history of Greenland – exploration for minerals and petroleum, and scientific projects. The Extractive Industries and Society, 17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2024.101417

Fleth-Barten, U., & Mortensen, B. O. G. (2018). Uranium in Greenland: Questions of Resources and Security in a Self-Government Setting. The Yearbook of Polar Law, 9(1), 183-200. https://doi.org/10.1163/22116427_009010009

Johnstone, R. L. (2020). The impact of international law on natural resource governance in Greenland. Polar Record, 56, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0032247419000287

Kalvig, P., Thrane, K., & Hanghøj, K. (2014). Uran – fra efterforskning til efterspørgsel. MiMa rapport, 2014/2, 72 pp.

Kalvig, P., Secher, K., & Asmund, G. (2015). Information og fakta om udvinding af uran i Grønland. Udgivet af De Nationale Geologiske Undersøgelser for Danmark og Grønland, 4. reviderede udgave, 28 pp.

Keulen, N., Thrane, K., Stensgaard, B.M., & Kalvig, P. (2014). An evaluation of the potential for uranium deposits in Greenland. MiMa report, 2014/1, 87 pp.

Knudsen, H., & Nielsen, H. (2016). Uranbjerget: Om forsøgene på at finde og udnytte Grønlands uran fra 1944 til i dag. Forlaget Vandkunsten.

Mortensen, B. O. M., Su, J. J., & Mouyal, L. W. (2017). Chinese investment in Greenland. Advances in Polar Science, 27(3), 192-199. https://doi.org/10.13679/j.advps.2016.3.00192

Naalakkersuisut & Regeringen (2013). Rapport om udvinding og eksport af uran. Arbejdsgruppen om konsekvenserne af ophævelse af nul-tolerancepolitikken. Oktober 2013. 188 pp.

NEA (2023). Uranium 2022: Resources, Production and Demand Paris: OECD Publishing.

Nielsen, R. G., & Ulfbeck, V. (2023). Mineral Exploitation Licences in Greenland. In Tanaka, Y., Johnstone, R. & Ulfbeck, V. (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Polar Law, Chapter 31 (pp. 531-547). London, Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003404828-41

Nutall, M. (2023). The Shaping of Greenlands’s Resource Spaces: Environment, Territory, Geo-Security. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003175421

Pelaudeix, C., Basse, E. M., & Loukacheva, N. (2017). Openness, transparency and public participation in the governance of uranium mining in Greenland: a legal and political track record. Polar Record, 53(6), 603-616. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0032247417000596

Petersen, C. S., & Ulfbeck, V. (2016). Litigation and arbitration in Greenland and dispute resolution under the Greenland standard licences. In In Ulfbeck, V., Møllmann & Mortensen, B. O. G. (Eds.), Responsibilities and Liabilities for Commercial Activity in the Arctic: The Example of Greenland, 223-236. London: Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3091168

Spiermann, O. (2016). Mineral Resources under the Greenland Self-Government Act – and the question of uranium. In Ulfbeck, V., Møllmann & Mortensen, B. O. G. (Eds.), Responsibilities and Liabilities for Commercial Activity in the Arctic: The Example of Greenland, 83-90. London Taylor & Francis.

Sørensen, H. (Ed.) (2001). The Ilimaussaq alkaline complex, South Greenland: status of mineralogical research with new results. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 190, 168 pp. https://geusjournals.org/index.php/ggub/issue/view/427

Sørensen, H. (2006). The Ilimaussaq alkaline complex, South Greenland – and overview of 200 years research and an outlook. Meddelelser om Grønland. Geoscience, 45, 70 pp. https://doi.org/10.7146/moggeosci.v45i.142185

Sørensen, H. (2008). Grønlands uran og thorium. Tidsskriftet Grønland, (4-5), 192-203.

Vestergaard, C. (2015). Greenland, Denmark and the pathway to uranium supplier status. The Extractive Industries and Society, 2(1), 153-161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2014.10.001

Vestergaard, C. & Thomasen, G. (2015). Governing Uranium in the Danish Realm. DIIS Report 2015/17, 34 pp. https://pure.diis.dk/ws/files/388826/DIIS_RP_2015_17_2.pdf

Ulfbeck, V., Mouyal, L. W., & Mortensen, B. O. G. (2015). Koncessioner i Grønland: Grønlands interesser og virksomhedens ansvar og beskyttelse. Erhvervsjuridisk Tidsskrift, (2), 101-109.