Secretary of State John Kerry announced this month that the U.S. will appoint an Envoy to the Arctic. The new position comes at the request of Alaskan lawmakers like Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) who argue that an official ambassador is necessary for the U.S. to remain competitive in the region. Other Arctic nations, such as Russia, are already beginning to stake claims to valuable natural resources within the region, including oil, gas, and mineral plays. An American Special Representative for the Arctic signals the U.S.’s increasing interest in the quickly developing region.

Sources: The Hill, U.S. Department of State