Denmark and Greenland to present continental shelf demands

It could take years for the UN to process the claims

A delegation from Denmark and Greenland will present a continental shelf claim to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) at the United Nations in New York this week.

The claims concern three partial-submissions relating to areas 200 sea miles to the south, northeast and north of Greenland’s coast – an area that Denmark and Greenland made claims on in 2014.

“This is one of the milestones in our long and considerable co-operation to document and ensure our claim, and thus ascertain the Commonwealth’s outer border,” said the foreign minister, Kristian Jensen.

“Furthermore, it is an important signal to send that we are actively supporting the international co-operation in border-setting on a scientific and judicial foundation. That is essential in order to contribute to a continuing peaceful and constructive Arctic collaboration.”

READ MORE: UN approves Commonwealth continental shelf limits

Overlapping claims
According to the UN’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, a state has access to the continental shelf within 200 sea miles from its coast. Claims outside 200 sea miles must be supported by special documentation that the CLCS must then process.

The Danish Commonwealth’s three partial claims are an 895,541 sq km area outside the 200 sea mile area on Greenland’s northern coast from 2014, a claim to the south of the coast (114,929 sq km) from 2012, and to the northeast (61,913 sq km) from 2013.

The Danish Commonwealth’s claims have overlapped with separate claims made by Canada, Russia, Norway and Iceland, and it is now up to the CLCS to process the claims – something that could take years.

After the CLCS decision, it will be up to the various nations with overlapping claims to negotiate their borders.

There are claim overlaps with Russia, Norway, Canada and Iceland (the netted areas) (photo: Foreign Ministry)
The Danish-Greenlandic claim overlaps with those made by Russia, Norway, Canada and Iceland (photo: Foreign Ministry)

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs