Russia claiming the UN for Arctic Shelf Expansion

On February 9, Russia plans to send another request to the UN to expand the continental shelf in the Arctic.
The UN Commission Consideration of the Russian claim could take from three to five years. The Commission also forecast that the site resources, claimed by Russia, may have 4.9 billion tons of fuel.
The 40th session of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf is held from 1 February to 18 March. According to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea , ratified by the Russian Federation in 1997, states have the right to establish an exclusive economic zone of 200 miles from the coastline. In case of continuation of the shelf beyond these limits, the country can expand its borders to 350 miles. Within these limits, the state gains control over resources, including oil and gas. The Convention is approved by 155 countries, including most of the maritime developed countries, except the United States.

 

Who Needs the Arctic?

Today the Arctic is the battle field of several countries geopolitical and strategic interests: Russia, the USA, Canada, Norway, Denmark.
The USA claims part of the seabed in the northern part of the Chukchi Cap bordering with Alaska. However, according to international standards, the United States can declare their claim only for relatively small part of the Arctic. As the consequence, the country actively promotes the need for the international use of Arctic resources and for open access to them of multinational companies.
Norway claims to the Lomonosov Ridge, in this regard, in 2006 Norway requested to join the shelf area in the Barents Sea (about 235 thousand square kilometers), about 175 thousand of this part is considered the Russian Arctic sector in 1926.
Russia's geopolitical competitors (representatives of thalassocratic pole), noting the growing influence of the Russian Federation (the Eurasian pole) in the Arctic, taking common position, claims for internationalization of the Northern Sea Route, which is under Russian control.