Islandness and dependence in Greenland’s climate paradiplomacy : 2009-2021

Abstract

Alongside small island states, the Arctic is severely affected by climate change and iconic in its discourse. Arctic territories attend global climate summits, especially Greenland: the world’s largest subnational jurisdiction by land area, but a small island by population. This paper examines Greenland’s position and participation in UN climate negotiations, drawing on interviews and document analysis. We find that Greenland’s climate paradiplomacy is influenced by both its islandness and its dependence. Just like small island developing states, Greenland faces challenges related to disproportionate vulnerability and negligible total emissions, a small population and limited human capacity, as well as the desire for economic development. However, in contrast to other developing (island) states, Greenland is constrained by its status as a subnational entity within the Danish Realm, with substantial differences between Greenland and Denmark. Overall, Greenland is uniquely placed, negotiating from an ‘in-between’ position: not-yet-independent, between developed and developing countries, between the need for economic development and the devastating consequences of climate change.