US President-elect Donald Trump’s desire to control Greenland has brought the importance of trade routes in the Arctic region back to the agenda.

This development, as a reflection of the increasing global competition in the region, may grow even more with the impact of climate change between the US, Russia and China.

The US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that the glaciers in Greenland lost 270 billion metric tons of water per year between 2002 and 2023. The rapid melting of the glaciers in the Arctic due to global warming has led to the opening of sea routes in the region and increased transportation opportunities.

The emergence of new trade routes in the Arctic region in recent years has led to increasing competition, especially between the US, Russia and China. According to the Arctic Council’s report, it is stated that maritime transportation in the region has increased by 37 percent in the last 10 years and 1,782 ships will use these new routes in 2024.

The report noted that changes in the marine environment, such as shrinking glaciers and melting old ice, are enabling longer sailing seasons in the Arctic. This is creating significant opportunities for trade by providing access to previously inaccessible areas of the region. These developments indicate that future economic and strategic competition in the Arctic will intensify.