On Tuesday, December 1 at 1:30 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security will host the inaugural Atlantic Council Polar Forum.
Interest in the polar regions is growing sharply among both the public and policymakers. The Arctic has rapidly transformed into an active theater of great power competition, and awareness of the region’s importance for US homeland defense has grown. While it receives comparatively less attention, the Antarctic is also increasingly contested, as China in particular is looking to challenge well-established mechanisms for international cooperation, which could chip away at the Antarctic Treaty. The geographies of the Arctic and Antarctic may be different, but they face cross-cutting thematic challenges, encompassing great power rivalry, defense and security, trade, navigation, and cooperation on scientific research.
The Polar Forum will shed light on the complex issues facing both the Arctic and Antarctic and highlight how experts and policymakers can drive the increased attention on the polar regions into concrete action. Join us immediately after the event for a networking reception.
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Speakers
Agenda
1:30–1:45 p.m. | Welcome remarks
Speaker to be announced.
1:45–2:15 p.m. | Keynote remarks and fireside discussion
Featuring
The Hon. Lisa Murkowski,
US Senator for Alaska
2:15–3:00 p.m. | The forgotten pole: Antarctica’s place in geopolitics
Speakers
Brian Stone
Chief of Staff and Performing the Duties of the Director,
National Science Foundation
Alexander Gray
Nonresident Senior Fellow,
GeoStrategy Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security,
Atlantic Council
Evan Bloom
Visiting Fellow, Transatlantic Security,
German Marshall Fund of the United States
More speakers to be announced.
3:00–3:15 p.m. | Coffee break
Please join us for a coffee break.
3:15–4:00 p.m. | Rules of the ice road: How international structures shape security at the poles
Speakers
H.E. Anniken Huitfeldt
Ambassador of Norway to the United States
The Hon. James E. Baker
Distinguished Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security,
Atlantic Council
More speakers to be announced.
4:00–4:45 p.m. | Built for the cold: Technology and innovation at the poles
Speakers
Catherine Cahill
Director, Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Integration,
University of Alaska Fairbanks
More speakers to be announced.
4:45–5:00 p.m. | Closing remarks
Speaker to be announced
5:00-6:00 p.m. | Networking Reception
Join us in the Adrienne Arsht Sky Lobby for light refreshments.
In partnership with
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The Transatlantic Security Initiative aims to reinforce the strong and resilient transatlantic relationship that is prepared to deter and defend, succeed in strategic competition, and harness emerging capabilities to address future threats and opportunities.
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