Multilateralismo in bilico: sfide e strategie di governance nell’Artico

This article analyses the crisis of multilateralism in the Arctic in light of the region’s growing geopolitical, environmental, and economic relevance. After outlining the fragmented legal framework governing the Arctic, the paper examines the principal regional mechanisms of intergovernmental cooperation, including the Arctic Council, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Nordic Council, and the Northern Dimension Policy. It then explores the factors that have affected Arctic cooperation, notably climate change, the militarization of the High North, the deterioration in relations between Russia and Western States after 2022, and the expanding role of extraregional actors. Among other issues, the article analyses China’s Polar Silk Road, interpreted both as a strategic extension of the Belt and Road Initiative and as a factor contributing to new governance tensions in the region. The article argues that, as multilateral forums weaken, Arctic governance is increasingly shaped by selective strategic partnerships and competing geopolitical interests. It concludes that the future stability of the Arctic depends on renewing cooperative mechanisms able to reconcile security concerns, environmental sustainability, sovereign rights, and the participation of indigenous communities