By Truby Chiaviello
Last one in…!
That’s the right phrase — not just for a summer dive into a swimming pool — but more provocatively, the rush of countries to conquer the icy regions of the Arctic.
The Russians, Norwegians, Americans, Chinese, and Italians are ready to take advantage of the newest geo frontier — the North Pole.
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Arctic Could Be Ice-Free by 2027, New Study Warns
A new multidisciplinary study from Venice, titled “The Arctic,” authored by Giovanni Tonini and Cecilia Sandroni, reveals the world’s northernmost region is warming four times faster than the global average. Scientists now warn that the Arctic Ocean could see its first ice-free summer as early as 2027.
Tonini and Sandroni view the Arctic as a “living laboratory” where climate change, geopolitics, and indigenous survival converge to shape the future of the planet.
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Key Findings
Tonini and Sandroni convey a fast changing world. The earth is getting hotter, they say. The current transformation is unprecedented in geologic history. The main points of their report contain the following:
• Climate Acceleration: Arctic warming is outpacing the rest of the globe, with “Atlantification” (the surge of warmer Atlantic waters) irreversibly reshaping ecosystems.
• Global Trade Shift: The Northern Sea Route shortens Asia-Europe shipping by 4,000 nautical miles, with potential $91 billion annual savings.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Russia dominates the North Pole area with 32 military bases and a nuclear icebreaker fleet, the U.S. plans $80 billion Arctic investments, and China advances as a self-declared “quasi-Arctic state.”
• Collapse of Cooperation: Over 150 Arctic Council projects have halted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Indigenous Frontlines: 4 million indigenous people face the dual threats of climate disruption and geopolitical pressure.
• Innovation & Risks: Arctic biotech breakthroughs (such as antifreeze proteins for organ preservation) contrast with the danger of ancient pathogens and “zombie viruses” emerging from thawing permafrost.
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Greenland - The Next Economic Boom?
Go North young man!
The famous advice from the legendary American journalist — Horace Greely — will now change the destination from the 19th century American West to the 21st century Arctic.
Greenland is the prize. The world’s largest — and, perhaps, coldest — island has become one of the most important players in the race for rare earths — the minerals that power our modern world.
Greenland is choc full of elements essential for everything from smartphones to wind turbines to electric vehicles. The island’s Kvanefjeld deposit could supply as much as 15 percent of global demand. For a resource most people rarely think about, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Rare earths are not actually all that rare, but they occur in low concentrations to make extraction difficult and costly. What makes them so valuable is their unique properties.
And Greenland’s got them!
The island hosts large deposits of Neodymium — used to create powerful permanent magnets to drive electric motors, wind turbines, and even the phones in our pockets. Ready for extraction is dysprosium and praseodymium to strengthen magnets to withstand high heat, an essential feature for electric cars. Greenland has europium and terbium to light up our screens in red and green; not to mention scandium and yttrium used to make aerospace alloys, electronics, and high-powered lasers.
China currently dominates the global market for these rare elements to create a dangerous dependence for Western countries. That’s why the Arctic, and Greenland in particular, is drawing so much attention. If its vast reserves can be tapped, they could help diversify supply, reduce reliance on Beijing, and tip the balance of geopolitical power. In a world racing toward a digital and green transition, the icy north may hold the keys to the future.
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Here Comes Trump
Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2024 has reignited American ambitions for Greenland with a force no one can ignore. What once sounded like an offhand provocation during his first term — the idea of buying Greenland — has evolved into a structured and persistent geopolitical strategy. Washington now openly views the island as central to U.S. security to dominate the Arctic in the 21st century.
The reasons are both military and economic. Greenland is home to Thule Air Base, one of America’s northernmost outposts, essential for missile defense and Arctic surveillance. Its position at the gateway between the Atlantic and Arctic makes it a strategic prize as melting ice opens new shipping lanes. Beyond geography, Greenland is a geological jackpot: rare earth deposits could supply a quarter of global demand, plus uranium, iron, zinc, and offshore oil reserves. America wants direct control over these resources to gain a decisive advantage in the race for green energy and technological supremacy over China.
Greenlanders, however, are not passive bystanders. Resistance has coalesced into the “Greenland for Greenlanders” movement, which triumphed in the March 2025 elections. The Demokraatit party won in a landslide by promising gradual independence while rejecting outright any idea of ceding sovereignty to Washington.
That hasn’t slowed American pressure. Trump’s team is using a mix of hard and soft power. They are pouring money into infrastructure projects to tie Greenland’s economy to the United States. They are making direct overtures to local leaders while skirting official Danish channels. At the same time, scholarships for Greenlandic students at American universities and U.S. funded research programs are building a new generation of elites with strong ties to America — a strategy of influence designed to pay off huge dividends in the future.
Europe has stepped in to counterbalance. The EU’s Arctic Partnership Initiative, a €2 billion package launched in response, seeks to bolster European presence in the Arctic while supporting Greenlandic self-determination. What began as a quirky Trump soundbite has now escalated into a full-blown contest between global powers, with Greenland caught in the middle.
The legal questions are thorny. Greenland remains Danish territory with limited autonomy, and international law enshrines the right to self-determination. A scenario in which Greenland declared independence and then sought annexation by the United States would shake the foundations of global order, setting a precedent that could legitimize other territorial grabs elsewhere.
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Italian Ices
Not only the United States, but Italy looks with green eyes of envy towards Greenland. Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, wants more of her country’s talent devoted to exploiting the Arctic.
Italy now partners with Sweden to build underwater vessels designed for the cold Arctic waters in mind. Fincantieri shipyard is currently fulfilling a lucrative contract with NATO for advanced research vessels. The purpose for the submarines, NATO claims, is to study the impact of climate change in the Arctic. Military observers and critics, however, contend the use is for underwater special ops to sabotage Russian and Chinese oil pipelines and maritime installations.
Spotted frequently on the ocean’s surface near the North Pole is the Italian research vessel Laura Bassi, so named for the first woman in history — an Italian — to earn a doctorate.
Operated by Italian National Institute for Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, the Laura Bassi is ice-strengthened for scientific missions in both polar regions.
In commercial sectors, ENI continues extensive operations in Arctic energy fields—including the Goliat offshore platform in Norway and North Slope projects in Alaska—utilizing advanced spill-prevention technology and engaging indigenous communities.
Italy is building Arctic alliances beyond Europe—most notably with Japan, mixing diplomacy, science, and geo-economic efforts, signaling a deeper strategic footprint in the High North
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The Authors’ Warning
“The Arctic is no longer a remote frontier,” say Tonini and Sandroni. “It is the frontline of climate change and global power struggles. Decisions made here will determine the world’s future. A new model of governance must combine environmental sustainability, social justice, and geopolitical stability.”
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About the Authors
• Cecilia Sandroni – Founder of ItaliensPR, is an international journalist and cultural diplomacy expert.
• Giovanni Tonini – The former naval officer is a criminologist, legal psychologist and renowned investigative journalist.
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Full Study
The complete analysis is available at:
�� https://www.italienspr.com/focus-artico/
Editor's Note: The photographs highlight the quest for dominance in the Arctic by Italy, the United States, and other countries. Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, is pictured with President Donald Trump, inside the White House. The president's son, Donald Trump, Jr., visited Greenland, earlier this year, for purposes of gaining support for the island to become a territorial possession of the United States. Before the war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin fostered close ties with Italy to pursue commercial ventures in oil and gas exploration with ENI. The latest ice-breaking vessel for Italy is the Laura Bassi, named after the first woman in history - an Italian - to earn a doctorate.