Why Greenland Matters to the United States, and Why Some People Are Sceptical

8 January 2026

Paul Francis

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Greenland has become an increasingly prominent part of global geopolitical discussion, particularly in relation to the United States. On the surface, the interest can appear puzzling. Greenland has a small population, harsh conditions, and limited infrastructure. Yet for Washington, it represents one of the most strategically significant territories in the world.

Snow-covered mountains and rocky peaks rise above a deep blue sea, under a clear sky, creating a serene and majestic landscape.

At the same time, recent events elsewhere have led many observers to question whether security alone explains American interest in regions rich in natural resources. Greenland now sits at the intersection of strategic necessity and public scepticism.

Greenland’s strategic importance to US security

The primary and most consistently stated reason for US interest in Greenland is security.

Greenland occupies a crucial geographic position between North America and Europe. It sits along the shortest route for ballistic missiles travelling between Russia and the United States. This makes it essential for early warning systems and missile defence.

The US has maintained a military presence in Greenland since the Second World War. Today, Pituffik Space Base plays a key role in monitoring missile launches, tracking satellites, and supporting NATO defence architecture. These systems are designed to protect not only the United States but also its allies.

As Arctic ice continues to melt, the region is becoming more accessible to military and commercial activity. Russia has expanded its Arctic bases, and China has declared itself a near-Arctic state. From Washington’s perspective, maintaining influence in Greenland helps prevent rivals from gaining a foothold in a region that directly affects North Atlantic security.

The Arctic, climate change, and future competition

Climate change has transformed Greenland’s relevance. What was once largely inaccessible is now opening up.

New shipping routes could shorten trade paths between Asia, Europe, and North America. Scientific research, undersea cables, and surveillance infrastructure are all becoming more viable. Greenland’s location places it at the centre of these emerging routes.

For the United States, this makes Greenland less of a remote territory and more of a forward position in an increasingly contested region.

Red Mobil barrel secured with ropes on wood structure, against a cloudy sky. Blue pipes and rusty metal bar in background.

Oil and resource speculation as a secondary factor

While security dominates official policy discussions, resource speculation is often raised as an additional reason for interest in Greenland.

Greenland is believed to hold potential offshore oil and gas reserves, as well as deposits of rare earth elements, lithium, graphite, and other critical minerals. These materials are essential for electronics, renewable energy systems, and defence technologies.

It is important to note that Greenland currently restricts new oil and gas exploration licences, largely due to environmental concerns. Large-scale extraction remains difficult, expensive, and politically sensitive.

For the United States, oil is not a strategic necessity in Greenland. The country is already one of the world’s largest oil producers. However, critical minerals are a longer-term concern. The US remains heavily dependent on foreign supply chains, particularly from China, for many of these materials.

This makes Greenland attractive as a potential future partner rather than an immediate resource solution.

Why scepticism exists

Despite official explanations, scepticism persists, and not without reason.

In recent years, the United States has taken highly visible actions elsewhere that involved control over oil production and transport. These actions have reinforced a long-standing public perception that resource interests sometimes sit beneath security justifications.

The Iraq War remains a powerful reference point. Although the official rationale focused on weapons and security threats, the protection and control of oil fields became a defining feature of the conflict in the public imagination. That perception continues to shape how many people interpret US foreign policy today.

More recently, actions involving sanctions, tanker seizures, and control of oil revenues in other regions have revived these concerns. When military or economic pressure coincides with resource-rich territories, scepticism follows.

Against this backdrop, even legitimate security interests can be viewed through a lens of historical mistrust.

Greenland is not Iraq, but history shapes perception

Greenland differs significantly from past conflict zones. It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally. The United States does not dispute Danish sovereignty and has repeatedly stated that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.

US engagement in Greenland has focused on diplomacy, scientific cooperation, and defence partnerships rather than intervention. There has been no military conflict, no occupation, and no attempt to forcibly extract resources.

However, history matters. Public opinion is shaped not only by current actions but by patterns over time. When people see strategic interest combined with resource potential, they naturally draw comparisons.

Denmark’s role as a stabilising factor

Denmark plays a crucial role in shaping how Greenland is engaged internationally. As the sovereign state responsible for defence and foreign policy, Denmark ensures that US involvement occurs within established legal and diplomatic frameworks.

This partnership reduces the likelihood of unilateral action and helps keep Greenland’s development aligned with environmental standards and local governance.

The broader reality

Greenland’s importance to the United States is real, and it is primarily rooted in geography and defence. Resource speculation exists, but it is not the driving force behind current policy.

At the same time, scepticism is understandable. History has taught many people to question official narratives when strategic interests and natural resources overlap.

The truth lies in the tension between these two realities. Greenland matters because of where it is, what it enables, and what it may one day provide. How it is treated will determine whether it becomes a model of cooperation or another chapter in a long story of mistrust.

Greenland is not a prize to be taken, but a partner to be engaged. Whether that distinction holds in the long term will depend not just on policy statements, but on actions.

In a world shaped by climate change, great power competition, and historical memory, even legitimate interests must contend with the weight of the past.

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Hurricane Milton's Destruction in Florida and Its Impact Beyond

Paul Francis
Oct 11, 2024
4 min read

Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, recently ravaged Florida's west coast. With wind speeds peaking at 180 mph, it is one of the most powerful hurricanes in recent memory.

Hurricane forming, picture from space (Alleged)

Milton unleashed catastrophic damage, including flooding, downed power lines, and structural destruction as it made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane. The devastation has been immense, and while the immediate concern is Florida, hurricanes of this magnitude can have far-reaching impacts beyond the U.S., including potential effects on British weather patterns.

How Hurricanes Can Affect British Weather

Though Britain is not located in the tropics, the remnants of hurricanes like Milton can still reach its shores. When these storms travel across the Atlantic, they often weaken and lose their tropical characteristics but can still interact with other weather systems, causing major disruptions. For instance, hurricanes can influence the jet stream, the powerful winds high in the atmosphere that guide weather patterns across the Atlantic.

A disrupted jet stream can bring wet, stormy weather to the UK, with heavy rainfall and strong winds. This phenomenon is known as an "extratropical transition," where a former hurricane combines with other low-pressure systems. Over the years, there have been several examples of hurricanes affecting Britain, demonstrating how these tropical storms can significantly alter the UK’s weather.

Historical Hurricanes That Affected Britain

The Great Storm of 1987 is one of the most well-known examples of a hurricane system impacting the UK. While it was not directly a tropical cyclone, it had origins in the remnants of Hurricane Floyd. This unexpected storm caused widespread destruction across England and northern France, uprooting millions of trees, damaging homes, and resulting in numerous fatalities. The storm was notorious for its meteorologists' underestimation and the surprise it brought to Britain.

Hurricane Ophelia (2017) was another example of a hurricane impacting the UK. Ophelia reached Ireland and parts of Scotland with hurricane-force winds after transitioning into an extratropical cyclone. The storm brought strong gusts, disrupted transport, and left thousands without power.

In 2019, Hurricane Lorenzo brought heavy rain and gusty winds to parts of Ireland and the UK after transitioning into a post-tropical storm. Though it didn’t cause catastrophic damage, it disrupted travel and demonstrated that hurricanes, even weakened, can reach Britain and cause significant weather anomalies.

The Science Behind Hurricanes: How They Form and Strengthen

Hurricanes, like Milton, form under specific conditions: warm sea surface temperatures (typically above 26.5°C), high humidity, and low wind shear. As the warm, moist air rises from the ocean’s surface, it cools and condenses, forming clouds and releasing latent heat. This process fuels the storm, allowing it to intensify. Milton, like other powerful hurricanes, was able to undergo rapid intensification due to favourable environmental conditions, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, where waters were unusually warm.

One of the alarming trends in recent years is that more hurricanes are experiencing this rapid intensification, partly due to rising sea surface temperatures. Warmer oceans not only provide more energy for storms but also enable them to grow larger and more destructive. This pattern is becoming more common as the climate continues to warm.

The Case of the Missing Snow Crabs: A Warning About Rising Sea Temperatures

One stark example of the effects of rising ocean temperatures is the mysterious disappearance of 10 billion snow crabs in Alaska’s Bering Sea. This unprecedented event has alarmed scientists and fishery managers alike. Snow crabs, which are highly sensitive to water temperature, appear to have migrated or died off due to rising ocean temperatures, which have made their natural habitat uninhabitable.

The Bering Sea, typically cold enough to sustain large snow crab populations, has been warming at an alarming rate. Scientists believe this warming is linked to climate change, as higher global temperatures cause the oceans to absorb more heat. The disappearance of the crabs is a clear example of how rising sea temperatures are disrupting marine ecosystems. In the case of hurricanes, this same warming trend is providing storms like Milton with more fuel, making them more intense and dangerous.

The loss of the snow crabs also has significant economic and ecological consequences. Snow crabs are a crucial species in the food chain, and their sudden disappearance could disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystem in the Bering Sea. This situation underscores the broader impacts of climate change, from ecological shifts to extreme weather events.

The Future: More Hurricanes, Bigger Impacts

If the current trajectory of climate change continues, hurricanes like Milton may become increasingly frequent and intense. Warmer oceans, rising sea levels, and shifting atmospheric conditions create a perfect storm for these extreme weather events to thrive.

The potential for more powerful hurricanes to make landfall, combined with their increasing ability to cross the Atlantic, raises concerns for regions far beyond the tropics.

In the UK, while direct hits from hurricanes remain rare, the country is not immune to their secondary effects. As hurricanes continue to intensify, Britain may experience more frequent extreme weather tied to the remnants of these storms. Whether it’s heavier rainfall, stronger winds, or altered weather patterns, the UK could see a rise in storm-related disruptions in the years to come.

A Call for Action and Hope for Safety

Hurricane Milton is a stark reminder of the growing intensity of natural disasters fueled by climate change. As Florida grapples with its immediate effects, the world must acknowledge the far-reaching consequences of these storms and their connection to the warming planet. From disappearing snow crabs to devastating hurricanes, the signs are clear: the climate is changing, and it’s creating more extreme conditions.

While we hope everyone in Florida stays safe in the wake of Hurricane Milton, we must also take this as a call to action. Without significant steps to mitigate climate change, hurricanes like Milton will only become more frequent, posing even greater threats to communities worldwide.

Britain may be thousands of miles from the hurricane’s landfall, but the ripple effects of such storms are undeniable. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to address the global climate crisis before more lives, economies, and ecosystems are lost.