Opinion: Let’s hope the Greenlanders remain proud for a long time to come

Greenland is currently mostly seen as a piece of ice that is politically or militarily interesting. Or as a place where you can extract all kinds of valuable resources, according to polar researcher and associate professor of Arctic Ecology Maarten Loonen. He often visits the Arctic and sees the value of the Greenlanders’ control over their natural environment. ‘We tend to forget that 57,000 people live there, and that only they have a say about their country.’

_{This text was written by Marrit Wouda, UG Corporate Communications department, based on an interview with Maarten Loonen.}

Greenland for Greenlanders

‘When it comes to Greenland, the focus is on economic and military interests. But hardly anything is said about the people. Greenland is fairly empty, an island with a gigantic, three-kilometre-thick ice cap, and the few people who live there live on its edge. But the point is that they do live there, and have done so for quite some time. The Greelanders have a rich history. They are a people with customs, culture, history, and a language. And even though there are few of them, it is absurd to forget them, because no matter how many people there are, they are still people. If anyone has a say about Greenland, it is the Greenlanders.’

Dependent on support

‘The Greenlanders have a strong connection with Denmark. In fact, around 17,000 people who were born in Greenland live in Denmark. But that connection is also complicated, as is the case with many areas that have been colonized. The Danes, like many colonizers, did terrible things, the consequences of which are still being felt today. And although Denmark has since apologized for the past, there are still many difficulties. The lack of roads and limited opportunities for trade have led to high unemployment, and excessive alcohol consumption and other social problems are rampant. The agreement with Denmark is that Greenland can become independent once it can stand on its own two feet. It is not yet able to do so and is still dependent on subsidies and support from Denmark.’

Nature is more important

‘Building an independent economy in Greenland is very difficult. The economy currently revolves mainly around fishing and a little tourism. But besides ice, Greenland has something else: rare raw materials that the rest of the world — not just the US — covets. Income from mining could mean a lot for Greenland's independence. During the local elections in 2021, two parties debated whether or not to open a uranium mine in the far south of the island.  The party that chose nature won the elections and immediately imposed a ban on uranium mining. They chose to preserve nature over making money. At the time, I thought that was a very brave decision.’

Alluring wealth?

‘But in March 2025, the Greenlandic elections were won by the opposition, who are in favour of exploitation in order to become independent from Denmark. But to date, they have not yet lifted the ban. Could Trump buy Greenland by giving all Greenlanders $100,000?  Perhaps. The US also bought Alaska from the Russians, which earned them billions in oil revenues. Would the Greenlanders be interested? Allow the uranium mine after all, let themselves be bought out, perhaps keep a summer cottage on the island and go and live elsewhere, in Denmark for example? I don’t know. Perhaps the lure of wealth is tempting. But so far, the Greenlanders have always shown that they still consider their way of life, close to nature, with their traditions and self-determination, to be very important. The Greenlanders are proud, and I hope they can remain so for a long time to come.’

More information

• Maarten Loonen
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