This issue of The Reference Shelf covers the 2025 National Debate topic of the exploration and development of the Arctic. Home to indigenous cultures for thousands of years, the first record of European exploration into the artic was in the 330s BCE when the Greek explorer Pytheas traveled there from Britain.

The region was explored and later colonized by nations all over the world including Canada, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Iceland. The United States’ purchase of Alaska and Denmark’s acquisition of Greenland added to the roster of nations with a stake in the Arctic. These nations were eager to take advantage of the natural resources and military advantages the region offered.

Years of resource exploitation and the repercussions of climate change have resulted in significant sea ice decline and an alarming decrease in wildlife populations. As a result, the Arctic has been at the epicenter of debates concerning the human-induced environmental degradation in the region. Economic and military interests in the Arctic have additionally become a point of contention as Russia continues to increase its military presence and Donald Trump toys with the idea of purchasing Greenland.

This volume introduces some of the most pressing topics in this arena, including the geopolitics of the region, Indigenous perspectives, natural resources, Arctic drilling, and the militarization of the Arctic, to name a few. Debate participants will have ample material to draw on in making their arguments.