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Abstract

This thesis examines the emergence of large marine protected areas (MPA) in the Arctic Ocean through the case study of Canada’s Tuvaijuittuq MPA, established in 2019 in partnership with Indigenous communities. Defined as areas exceeding 200,000 km² in size, large MPAs have been attributed by Justin Alger (2021) to a global environmental norm driven by environmental non- governmental organizations (ENGOs) and domestic industrial configurations. A global environmental norm is a collective moral understanding that guides and shapes how states are expected to behave in protecting the environment on a global level. They shape policies and practices worldwide, such as the establishment of large MPAs to protect oceans and marine life. However, Alger’s theory primarily focuses on the establishment of large Pacific Ocean MPAs and does not fully account for the unique environmental and geopolitical dynamics of the Arctic. I argue that the emergence of large MPAs in the Arctic represents the need for a critical extension of Alger’s framework as they deviate from the characteristics he attributes in the formation of the global environmental norm. The Arctic case displays many differences from global patterns of marine conservation in the form of large MPAs. In Canada’s Tuvaijuittuq large MPA, there is a lack of emphasis that Alger (2021) places on civil society organizations that form and diffuse the large MPA norm. Instead, conservation is government-led, with limited ENGO involvement and very strong Indigenous collaboration. Moreover, the region’s current industrial absence, paired with its high future extractive potential, complicates the argument that industry interests are the decisive factor in whether this norm materializes as a large MPA. Additionally, Tuvaijuittuq reinforces Canadian sovereignty and security through continued presence near the contested Northwest Passage, as Inuit co-governance strengthens legal and historical claims, reflecting the idea that “sovereignty begins at home.” Finally, the Canadian case offers a tentative model for another Arctic states that aim to implement large MPAs. However, further research is needed to assess their long-term effectiveness, implications, and the conditions under which similar MPAs emerge elsewhere in the Arctic.