The Arctic shipping route, opened due to the climate crisis, is expected to become a contested area among major powers, including the United States, China, and Russia. The Northern Sea Route, which runs along the northern coast of Russia, and the Northwest Passage, located in the Canadian Arctic, have long been considered impassable due to the harsh Arctic environment. However, as global warming continues to accelerate, sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has begun to melt, making it possible for ships to navigate these routes. The melting of the Arctic ice has sparked a new race among nations to secure a foothold in the region. Russia, which has the longest coastline in the Arctic, has been actively developing its infrastructure and has already begun to use the Northern Sea Route for commercial shipping. China, which has been investing heavily in the Arctic region, has also expressed interest in using the Northern Sea Route, and has sent several research vessels and icebreakers to the region. The United States has also been paying close attention to the Arctic region, and has announced plans to increase its presence in the region. As the three major powers increase their presence in the Arctic, the region is becoming a new area of competition and tension. The Arctic region is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas, and minerals, and is also home to a diverse range of wildlife. The opening of the Arctic shipping route is expected to have a significant impact on global trade and the environment. The route could potentially cut shipping times and costs, and could also provide a new route for the transportation of goods between Europe and Asia. However, there are also concerns about the potential environmental impact of increased shipping activity in the Arctic. The Arctic region is particularly vulnerable to climate change, and increased shipping activity could lead to increased pollution and disruption to the region's fragile ecosystem. The three major powers have a responsibility to ensure that their activities in the Arctic are sustainable and environmentally friendly. It remains to be seen how the competition for influence in the Arctic will play out, but one thing is certain: the Arctic region will play an increasingly important role in global affairs in the years to come.

More than half of 2026 has passed. The biggest international issue in the first half of this year was the US-Iran war. This war made the Strait of Hormuz known worldwide and awakened the public to the importance of energy and raw material supply chains. The war greatly threatened not only national economies but also everyday life, regardless of geographical distance.

The problem is that military conflicts between countries are expected to continue in the future. There are several causes for this, and there is a fundamental trend that underlies these causes: the climate crisis. The combination of the climate crisis and war, which may seem incomprehensible at first glance, is actually a complex crisis warned about in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) '2026 Global Risks Report'. Understanding this connection can help us read the future in a fragmented world order.

Geopolitics is a discipline that explains international politics through geographical location and space. However, due to climate change, new shipping routes have opened, deserts have expanded, and sea levels have risen, causing a massive tectonic shift in the existing international order and the dynamics between major powers. 'New War' is a book that intricately weaves together the climate crisis and geopolitics to identify the current chaos in global politics, economy, and society and explore the direction the world will take in the future.

The author, Arthur Snell, is a veteran diplomat with nearly 20 years of experience in various regions, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.

Using the lens of the four elements - earth, air, fire, and water - he vividly depicts geopolitical crises from the African Sahel desert to the Arctic in the language of the field. Particularly in the era of the climate crisis, the book closely examines China's actions. For example, there is the Swedish company Northvolt, which was in the spotlight when the global secondary battery boom occurred.

Despite initial expectations, the company went bankrupt, and the author points to sabotage by a Chinese partner, Wuxi Lead, as the cause, rather than the commonly cited management and financial issues. A Swedish engineer who worked there said, "(The machines) just wouldn't work. It seemed like the Chinese were deliberately engaging in subtle sabotage."

In addition to this, the book reveals that when Western powers, including the US, undertake projects to secure essential minerals like rare earths, Chinese government-backed 'puppet accounts' often launch opposition campaigns to delay or scuttle these projects. The reader will feel a sense of crisis as they learn that China, which already dominates 80% of global lithium refining, 85% of rare earth refining, and 75% of battery production, is making every effort to solidify its advantage in clean energy and essential minerals.

The Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, and the US-Iran war. Will Taiwan be next? Many experts worry that a conflict between China and Taiwan could be a trigger for World War III, but the author believes this is less likely. He argues that China is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy and therefore cannot afford a large-scale war unless it resolves the risk of the Panama Canal and the Strait of Malacca being blockaded.

The author is more focused on the Arctic. The race to control the Arctic transshipment route, which could change the world's logistics landscape, has already begun. The US has established a US consulate in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, which has no American citizens in need of assistance. China is trying to acquire land in Iceland, Sweden, and Greenland to secure physical footholds.

Russia has been operating a coal mine in the Norwegian territory of Svalbard, in the town of Barentsburg, for nearly 100 years, at a loss, and with almost no profitability.

The fragile peace in the Arctic, maintained by a delicate balance between major powers, is now facing a new phase due to climate change. Dr. Choi Joon-young, who recommended the book, says that the combination of climate change, which we think we understand well, and geopolitics has resulted in a book with no predictable content.

The author hopes that this book will be a "guidebook that leads you to the future." This hope resonates with us as a pressing need. Especially since the rise of China, right next to us, is unsettling, the world depicted in this book is closely tied to our security and economy.

Born with a geopolitical destiny to balance between the US and China, 'New War' will offer us insights to understand and respond to the changing world order.