Abstract
The Arctic Connect Project aims to connect East Asia, North America and Europe by running a submarine fibre-optic cable through the Northeast Passage. Along with the Quintillion Submarine Cable System, which originates in Alaska, it is one of the most visible elements of the lively discussion concerning Arctic connectivity. This chapter clarifies the role of the European High North and other Arctic regions in such initiatives. The human security framework is utilised as a flexible conceptual tool for analysing the role of local people and local communities as well as the different meanings, hopes and fears associated with these international market-driven projects. The European High North serves as the spatial focus of the research, although references are also made to other geographical locations.
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Notes
- 1.
A project originating in Finland that aims to create a submarine fibre-optic cable connection between East Asia, Europe and North America through the Northeast Passage.
- 2.
A project originating in Alaska that aims to create a submarine fibre-optic cable connection between East Asia, Europe and North America through the Northwest Passage.
- 3.
These locations include the Luzon Strait, the Suez Canal–Red Sea–Mandab Strait passage and the Strait of Malacca.
- 4.
Team Telecom is comprised of staff members from the US Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as representatives from the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury and the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
- 5.
The source does not reveal how the number of residents was calculated. Quintillion has not replied to the author’s request for a comment on the estimate published by StateScoop.
- 6.
It is worth noting that there are plans to build a new submarine fibre-optic cable connecting the current landings of C-Lion1 with cities on the shores of the Bothnian Bay.
- 7.
See Chapter 7 in this volume for more detail on the legal regimes.
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Saunavaara, J. (2020). Connecting the Arctic While Installing Submarine Data Cables Between East Asia, North America and Europe. In: Salminen, M., Zojer, G., Hossain, K. (eds) Digitalisation and Human Security. New Security Challenges. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48070-7_8
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