In January 2016, Greenland announced that it would be one of the only nations to opt
out the Paris Climate Deal, which is a global agreement to lower greenhouse emissions.
Greenland officials say the agreement would cost them “hundreds of millions of dollars”,
and further distance the country from achieving independence from Denmark.
It has only been in recent years that Greenland has been economically able to exist independently.
So, can Greenland achieve independence from Denmark?
Well, their power struggle dates back to 1721, when a Danish-Norwegian missionary first colonized
the Greenland region.
Denmark and Norway split a century later, leaving Greenland completely under Danish
rule.
Greenland took their first step toward independence in 1953, when they gained representation in
Danish parliament.
Roughly two decades later, Greenland was granted “home rule”, which gave them greater control
over internal policies.
In 2008, an overwhelming majority of Greenlandic citizens voted in favor of a self-governing
referendum.
The vote turned over control of law enforcement, coast guard and the legal system, and even
changed the official language from Danish to Greenlandic
But despite recent legislative and social strides toward an independent Greenland, the
country is far from complete autonomy.
As one of three countries in the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland is entitled to roughly
$650 million dollars a year, which is a significant amount considering Greenland’s GDP is only
about $2 billion dollars.
Moreover, Denmark supports Greenland’s population of less than 60 thousand by providing them
with a military and handling their foreign affairs.
In order to make up for potential losses, Greenland would have to tap into their recently
discovered offshore oil and mineral reserves.
In 2010, oil executives poured into Greenland after traces of oil were discovered in their
territorial waters.
Three years later, a 25-year ban on the mining of radioactive materials was lifted, giving
the country access to Uranium and other potentially lucrative resources.
Moreover, rapidly melting Arctic ice as a result of global warming has made mining and
drilling operations possible in places they were not in the past.
Greenland’s government plans to use these natural resources to end their financial dependency
on Denmark.
This has, in turn, led Greenland to reject global climate change efforts in support of
their own sovereignty.
When talks of independence ensue, Greenland officials repeatedly voice the country’s
desire to run their own foreign policy, and create a self-sustaining economy.
Additionally, many Greenlanders have spoken out against Danish rule, saying that their
indigenous culture is neglected and that influence from Denmark is patronizing and overbearing.
But Greenland still has no workable plan in place to claim their independence.
Exploiting offshore oil and mineral reserves could make their emissions greater than anywhere
on earth, all while climate change disrupts their ecosystems and ways of life.
Many politicians have hinted at an emancipation timeframe, however their predictions range
anywhere from eight to 50 years from now.
With more pressing issues at hand, like widespread alcoholism and a high unemployment rate, an
independent Greenland will likely remain in the distant future.
But Greenland isn’t the only country seeking
recognition as an independent country.
While Greenland is held back by economic woes, regions like Somaliland are held back by war
and poverty.
To learn more about why Somaliland isn’t recognized as independent, check out this
video.
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