From a perception of the Arctic environment as unspoiled and inexhaustible, the consequences of trans boundary contaminants and resource exploitation has become of increasing concern. And from an image of Arctic communities relying on a traditional interdependency with the environment through herding, hunting and trapping, a conception of modernized societies has emerged. Since WWII the mineral and energy industries in Arctic regions have boomed and have had drastic impacts in substantial parts of the Arctic. In other Arctic regions mineral and energy industries are not yet in operation, but certainly on the agenda, so further consequences can be foreseen. Parallel to this the development, the Arctic has been through a number of very important phases, where especially independency and home rule should be highlighted, just as local empowerment among indigenous people has been given high priority. And economic and industrial development are key factors concerning independency in the region, both for national development and in the process of globalization. So the need of domestic production of surplus value has turned attention toward new sources for income earning.
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