How Melting Ice Is Redrawing the Global Order | Rana Foroohar

The Arctic is transforming into a primary geopolitical theater as melting ice opens new maritime routes, triggering a "great game" between global powers. This shift reflects a broader transition from neoliberal globalization toward regionalized, state-directed industrial policies focused on national security and supply chain resilience. China has systematically secured maritime choke points, prompting the United States to prioritize rebuilding its maritime capabilities through strategic "friend-shoring" with allies like Finland and Canada. Beyond the Arctic, this new economic paradigm emphasizes domestic manufacturing and resource independence to mitigate risks in a multipolar world. Rana Foroohar, author of *Sea Change*, argues these developments signal an end to the post-Cold War consensus, forcing nations to balance economic interests against the urgent demands of geostrategic competition and climate-driven environmental change.