The diplomatic row that has erupted between Washington and Copenhagen over Greenland is just one part of a broader strategic battle being waged over control of the Arctic, according to one expert.

US President Donald Trump has cancelled a trip to Denmark and launched a war of words with his Danish counterpart, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, after she rejected his idea of the US buying Greenland as "absurd".

Mikaa Mered, professor of polar geopolitics at Paris' ILERI institute of international relations said Trump's unsolicited advances on the autonomous territory were a way to indicate US interest in the resource-rich Arctic -- and to distract from domestic issues.

- Is the US sending a message? -

Mered said Trump's offer to buy Greenland was a signal to Arctic nations and China, which has shown interest in the region, which is crucial for the control of new shipping routes opening up as ice sheets melt because of global warming.

"When it comes to the Russians, (Trump's) logic is to say: 'You won't always be the main power in the Arctic even if you are the chair of the Arctic Council in 2021'.

"And when it comes to the Chinese, the idea is... 'We won't let you get a foothold in Greenland'," Mered said.

He said the US has already increased its presence by re-establishing a consulate in Greenland's capital Nuuk, and helping to finance new airports, education and social programmes.

"The end goal is not to acquire Greenland per se but at least some new territory, some new pieces of land," he said.

Washington could be angling to buy the Gronnedal naval base in southern Greenland, "which the Danes ultimately decided not to sell in late 2017 because the only interested buyers were Chinese" he added.

- What role does Europe play? -

"It's possible that this whole hullabaloo is a political, media and economic test balloon designed to see how strongly Europeans feel about Greenland," Mered said, predicting the row could drag on.

"He will continue to use the case of Greenland, especially since Denmark is a fairly servile ally that won't turn its back on the US because of this."

- What does Trump stand to gain? -

Mered said the issue allows Trump to "make strides in the Arctic and at home".

"Looking at the presidential election, he has everything to gain by carrying on: he gets the Democrats out of the news at a critical time with the start of campaigning for the primaries and he himself is kicking off a bunch of rallies.

"(In the US), nobody knows where Greenland is, how it's run... There are so many things going on, he can continue to drag this out for several weeks."

Five things to know about Greenland
Qulusuk, Denmark (AFP) Aug 21, 2019 - US President Donald Trump has confirmed he is keen to buy Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory rich in natural resources and of increasing geopolitical relevance as the Arctic ice sheet melts.

But Denmark, a NATO ally, swiftly retorted that the island, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, is not for sale, prompting Trump to cancel a planned state visit.

Here are five things to know about Greenland.

- Ice-covered 'Green earth' -

The name "Greenland" is misleading as the two million square kilometre island, the world's largest island that is not a continent, has three quarters bordering the Arctic Ocean and is 85 percent covered in ice.

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it became part of the Danish Realm.

In 1979, it gained "autonomous territory" status. Today, the island's economy depends heavily on subsidies from Copenhagen.

Its 55,000 inhabitants -- of whom 17,000 reside in the capital Nuuk -- are more than 90 percent Inuit, an indigenous group from Central Asia.

- Global powers converge -

Greenland has been essential to US defence since World War II, when it was a base for monitoring Nazi ships and submarines passing through the Arctic on their way to the north Atlantic.

In 1943, the US Air Force built its farthest-north air base at Thule, crucial during the Cold War as a first line of monitoring against a potential Russian attack.

With a population of 600, the base is today part of a NATO mission, operating satellite monitoring and strategic missile detection systems.

As the polar ice sheet melts, opening up potentially major shipping routes, other global powers have moved in.

Russia has become more active, and, while it has no geographical claim to the region, newcomer China has also begun to show interest in the region.

China's massive commercial shipping industry would benefit from the new polar routes.

In January 2018, Beijing unveiled its "Polar Silk Road" strategy to extend its economic influence through the Arctic.

China began sending scientific missions to Greenland already in 2004, and a Chinese company has gained mining rights for rare earths.

Last year, a Chinese government-backed group also offered to build three new international airports in Greenland, sparking alarm in Copenhagen and Washington.

That plan was ultimately nixed, in exchange for Danish funding and a pledge of support from the Pentagon.

- At the heart of global warming -

This massive territory is on the front line of melting Arctic ice in a region that is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, Greenland's ocean levels continue to rise by about 3.3 millimetres per year.

This phenomenon appears to be accelerating: sea levels have jumped by 25 to 30 percent faster between 2004 and 2015, compared with the 1993-2004 period.

The melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet accounts for 25 percent of this rise, up from five percent 20 years ago. And this is likely to increase as glaciers and ice caps melt.

If Greenland's ice sheet was to disappear completely, it would raise the ocean level by seven metres (23 feet).

- Rich soil -

Nonetheless, Greenland's melting ice has a silver lining.

The region has vast untapped reserves of oil, gas and minerals, as well as fish and shrimp stocks.

Greenland's subsoil is rich in gold, rubies and uranium, as well as iron, aluminium, nickel, platinum, tungsten, titanium, and copper, which could attract foreign investment.

Under the melting glaciers lies mineral-rich rock flour that could be used, for example, as fertiliser for dry soils in Africa and South America.

However, this substance infuriates the Greenlanders as it shuts off access to the fjords.

- Previous US interest -

Trump's bid for Greenland is not a first for the US.

In 1867, the State Department expressed interest in the island, and in 1946 President Harry S. Truman offered $100 million in gold, or parts of Alaska, in exchange for Greenland.

And you can't blame Trump for trying -- Denmark has previously sold territory to Washington.

In 1916, the Scandinavian country agreed to sell the Danish West Indies to the US for $25 million in gold, which then became the US Virgin Islands.

Related Links
Beyond the Ice Age

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Greenland isn't for sale but it is increasingly valuable
Washington (AFP) Aug 17, 2019
President Donald Trump's reported wish to buy Greenland may have been rejected by Denmark, but it underscores the rapidly rising value of the massive, ice-covered island due to global warming and to China's drive for an Arctic presence. The accelerating polar ice melt has left sparsely populated Greenland, a self-governing part of Denmark, astride what are potentially major shipping routes and in the crosshairs of intensifying geopolitical competition between superpowers. It also has untapped na ... read more