Open research questions in Arctic and Russian Policy Studies

What the literature leaves open

• The lack of recognition of their interdependence in working towards sustainable Arctic futures.

  Arctic science and tourism in Svalbard - two sides of the same coin? · 2026 · DOI

• There is a lack of research on the impact of stratospheric aerosol injection on Arctic shipping routes. Prior studies have not assessed the navigability of the Arctic Ocean under SAI scenarios.

  Projected changes to Arctic shipping routes after stratospheric aerosol deployment in the ARISE-SAI scenarios · 2024 · DOI

• Future research should focus on developing decolonial co-production frameworks that prioritize equitable collaboration and the co-creation of knowledge. It should explore the application of Indigenous-led governance and knowledge co-production in advancing resilience within Arctic governance.

  Building resilient Arctic futures through Indigenous Knowledge and self-determination · 2026 · DOI

• It highlights the need for more inclusive and equitable governance structures that prioritize Indigenous representation and self-determination.

  Building resilient Arctic futures through Indigenous Knowledge and self-determination · 2026 · DOI

• The study suggests further research on the monitoring of risks related to Arctic shipping routes and marine ecosystems. The study suggests further research on the construction of emergency buffering mechanisms.

  Risk assessment of China–Russia Arctic energy cooperation based on Northern Sea Route utilization with an integrated MCDM model · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in the existing literature on Arctic governance, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of the region's geopolitical, economic, and environmental dimensions. The research gap is characterized by a lack of integrated analysis of the Arctic region's strategic importance, national Arctic strategies, and international governance mechanisms.

  The Arctic region in contemporary international relations: geopolitics, economics, and environmental risks · 2026 · DOI

• The legal status of the Caspian Sea has long been a subject of debate. The collapse of the USSR led to issues concerning the delimitation of borders between the littoral states and the utilization of the sea's resources. There is a need to clarify the legal status of the Caspian Sea and examine the related challenges.

  The Caspian Sea Basin: Legal, geopolitical, and environmental issues · 2026 · DOI

• The study relies on expert judgment, which may be subjective. The study is limited to Korean experts and may not be generalizable to other countries. The survey process may be affected by response bias and non-response bias.

  Delphi Survey on Research Demand and Prospects in the Arctic Ocean · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should focus on areas like Arctic science and technology, history and culture, and shipping routes. There is a need for more research on the social and economic impacts of climate change in the Arctic Ocean. International collaboration and interdisciplinary research are critical for advancing knowledge in the Arctic Ocean.

  Delphi Survey on Research Demand and Prospects in the Arctic Ocean · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of comprehensive infrastructure development in the Arctic region. The need for alignment of the interests of the parties involved in the project.

  THE ICE SILK ROAD: PROSPECTS FOR RUSSIAN-CHINESE COOPERATION · 2026 · DOI

• The paper does not specify future research directions. The use of robotic means in emergency rescue operations could be further researched. The integration of robotic systems could be further developed.

  PECULIARITIES OF THE USE OF ROBOTIC MEANS OF EMERCOM OF RUSSIA IN THE ARCTIC · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies the need for the use of robotic means in emergency rescue operations in the Arctic. The integration of robotic systems is discussed as a gap. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles is proposed as a gap.

  PECULIARITIES OF THE USE OF ROBOTIC MEANS OF EMERCOM OF RUSSIA IN THE ARCTIC · 2026 · DOI

• There is a need for a shared protection terminology in the Baltic Sea region. The lack of a shared terminology can lead to inconsistent interpretation and implementation of protection measures.

  PROTECT BALTIC - Deliverable 6.3 - Protection terminology · 2026 · DOI

• 1 3Journal of the Knowledge Economy Future research should address these limitations through comparative international studies, longitudinal tracking of technological sovereignty indicators, mixed-methods approaches combining quantitative metrics with qualitative insights, and ethnographic studies of innovation practices within Arctic energy enterprises.

  Technological Sovereignty of the Oil and Gas Complex in the Arctic: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities in the Context of the Knowledge Economy · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of effective international coordination mechanisms to resolve conflicts. The need to balance navigation rights with environmental protection and coastal state jurisdiction. The challenge of ensuring compliance with domestic and international law in the Arctic region.

  Legal frameworks for the Arctic blue economy: risks and regulatory responses · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of effective international coordination mechanisms to resolve conflicts. The need for a framework that can provide certainty amid the fragmentation of Arctic law.

  Legal frameworks for the Arctic blue economy: risks and regulatory responses · 2026 · DOI

• In this regard, the ILC stated: The standard of due diligence against which the conduct of the State of origin should be examined is that which is generally considered to be appropriate and proportional to the degree of risk of transboundary harm in the particular instance.

  Three Functions of Due Diligence Obligations in the Prevention of Vessel-Source Marine Pollution from Arctic Shipping · 2026 · DOI

• The paper argues that there is a need to think with the ocean as a nonhuman subject, which requires a shift in epistemologies and ontologies.

  Women, Peace, and Security: Posthuman Feminisms and Oceanic Encounters · 2025 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in the existing WPS framework, which is limited to land-based security and does not account for maritime security. It notes that the WPS resolutions have attracted significant critiques for legitimating the work of the Security Council, militarism, and state violence. The paper argues that there is a need for a posthuman feminist approach that thinks with the ocean as a nonhuman subject.

  Women, Peace, and Security: Posthuman Feminisms and Oceanic Encounters · 2025 · DOI

• The warm Arctic–cold Eurasia (WACE) pattern influences extreme winter weather, yet its future under climate change remains uncertain.

  Projected Changes in the Warm Arctic–Cold Eurasian Pattern: Structural Shifts and Underlying Mechanisms · 2025 · DOI

• The lack of understanding of the processes that support Indigenous self-determination in fisheries governance.

  Indigenous self-determination in fisheries governance: implications from New Zealand and Atlantic Canada · 2024 · DOI

• Previous studies have analyzed transit shipping via the NSR, but no data has been available on the overall traffic volume (number of voyages) and the magnitude and characteristics of domestic and destination shipping.

  Recent ship traffic and developing shipping trends on the Northern Sea Route—Policy implications for future arctic shipping · 2020 · DOI

• The study notes that existing methods do not effectively capture the complexity of the risks involved.

  Risk assessment of China–Russia Arctic energy cooperation based on Northern Sea Route utilization with an integrated MCDM model · 2026 · DOI

• The gap in understanding how narratives from different countries frame Greenland in security discourse. The gap in understanding the impact of low-tension narratives on the influence of experts.

  Constructing low tension: The role of experts and narratives in the case of Greenland · 2025 · DOI

• Further analysis of the 1867 Cession of Alaska Treaty and its implications for the dispute. Exploration of options for a long-term solution to the dispute, including splitting-the-difference and cooperative ventures. Study of the environmental implications of the dispute, including the threat of pollution from oil spills.

  The bering sea: A maritime delimitation dispute between the United States and the Soviet Union · 1987 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Arctic and Russian Policy Studies

• Understanding critical geopolitics: Geopolitics and risk society · Journal of Strategic Studies · 1999 · 118 citations
• Recent ship traffic and developing shipping trends on the Northern Sea Route—Policy implications for future arctic shipping · Marine Policy · 2020 · 102 citations
• The materiality of the corporation: Oil, gas, and corporate social technologies in the remaking of a Russian region · American Ethnologist · 2012 · 76 citations
• Establishment of the Arctic Council · American Journal of International Law · 1999 · 75 citations
• The Arctic: A new region of conflict? The case of oil and gas · Cooperation and Conflict · 2013 · 74 citations
• Policy Coherence and Component‐Driven Policymaking: Arctic Policy in Canada and the United States · Policy Studies Journal · 2005 · 73 citations
• Declining Arctic Ocean oil and gas developments: Opportunities to improve governance and environmental pollution control · Marine Policy · 2016 · 72 citations
• The geopolitics of Arctic melt · International Affairs · 2009 · 67 citations
• Contested Sovereignty in a Changing Arctic · Annals of the Association of American Geographers · 2010 · 66 citations
• Frontier engineering: from the globe to the body in the Cold War Arctic · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · 2006 · 64 citations

Most recent work

• Multi-objective optimisation of arctic shipping routes considering navigational risk, voyage time, and fuel consumption · Reliability Engineering & System Safety · 2026
• Integrating spatio-temporal analysis for assessing the effectiveness of POLARIS in Arctic shipping traffic · Transport Policy · 2026
• Maritime operations in ice-covered waters: A 25-year data-driven study of baltic sea ice conditions and icebreaker-ship operations · Safety Science · 2026
• Spatiotemporal patterns of maritime incidents along the Northern Sea Route: A 20-year analysis · Ocean & Coastal Management · 2026
• India’s role in the Arctic: comparative scenarios and strategic foresight · Frontiers in Political Science · 2026
• Through the lens of key stakeholders: evaluating the economic and environmental feasibility of arctic shipping routes · Case Studies on Transport Policy · 2026
• The Role of Private Law and Climate Change Mitigation Along the Northern Sea Route: A Look into the Future · Nordic Journal of International Law · 2026
• Perspectives on Arctic security: an analysis of strategies, presence, and capabilities from ten Arctic and non-Arctic countries · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · 2026
• Building resilient Arctic futures through Indigenous Knowledge and self-determination · PLOS Climate · 2026
• Risk assessment of China–Russia Arctic energy cooperation based on Northern Sea Route utilization with an integrated MCDM model · Frontiers in Marine Science · 2026

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