The Future History of the Arctic by Charles Emmerson

The Future History of the Arctic by Charles Emmerson

'For most of us the Arctic is, above all, an idea. It cannot be mapped, it can only be described. Cold, isolation, emptiness, white, pristine-these are the words it evokes; these are the preconceptions through which we filter all subsequent information about it. Yet many of those preconceptions- the same ones which, as a child, drew me towards the Arctic- are wrong.' Always lingering at the margins of global affairs and at the edge of our mental map, the Arctic has now found its way to the centre of the issues which will challenge and define our world in the twenty-first century: energy security and the struggle for natural resources, climate change and its uncertain speed and consequences, the return of great power competition and the remaking of global trade patterns. In The Future History of the Arctic, geopolitics expert Charles Emmerson weaves together the history of the region with reportage and reflection, revealing a vast and complex area of the globe, loaded with opportunity and rich in challenges. We travel with him from the oil-fields of Prudhoe Bay to the shores of Greenland, from the northernmost settlement on earth to the militarised borderlands of northern Norway. And along the way we meet diplomats, spies, businessmen, oil-workers, fishermen, politicians and scientists. The Arctic is coming of age. This engrossing book tells the story of how that is happening and how it might happen-through the stories of those who live there, those who study it, and those who will determine its destiny.

This engrossing book will fascinate would-be explorers, foreign policy buffs and all those who care about our global environmentCharles Emmerson shows why the world's ice cap is where much of our world's future history will be written -- Chris Patten, Chancellor of Oxford University, Chairman of the International Crisis Group; Former European Union Commissioner for External Affairs
Deeply insightful...His account is always clear-headed and elegant, weaving an extraordinary range of subjects into a compelling narrative -- Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum
A fascinating, personal and visionary book. Splendid -- Lord Nicholas Stern
As reviving as a blast of polar air... one of the most impressive accounts of the contemporary Arctic I've read -- Joanna Kavenna * Spectator *
Explores and greatly extends the issues ... and insightful analysis * Times Literary Supplement *

Charles Emmerson has suffered from a life-long addiction to maps, geopolitics and the power of history to illuminate the future. Born in Australia, Charles grew up and was educated in London. After graduating top of his class from Oxford University in modern history, he was awarded an Entente Cordiale scholarship to study politics and law in Paris. Since then he has worked for a variety of international organisations focusing on global issues, including the International Crisis Group and, latterly, as Associate Director of the World Economic Forum and head of their Global Risks' team. He now lives in London where he works as a writer and adviser on international affairs.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781847920256
ISBN 10	184792025X
Title	The Future History of the Arctic
Author	Charles Emmerson
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Vintage Publishing
Year published	2010-03-04
Number of pages	432
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.