The mainstream media has been "navel-gazing" quite a bit in their year-end round-up.

The significant events they highlighted were domestic: PAP's Punggol East by-election loss, Singaporeans' backlash over the Population White Paper, the high-profile corruption trials, the haze and the Little India riots.

As a small country whose trade is some 300 times our gross domestic product, we ought to be more aware of the world around us.

In May last year, Singapore was among the 12 countries to be granted the permanent observer status in the Arctic Council.

Set up in 1996, the Arctic Council governs the Arctic region and the permanent member countries are the United States, Canada, Russia, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

What’s the big deal, you ask?

In the words of United States Vice President Joe Biden (similar meaning, different context):

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Here are three reasons why our inclusion in the Arctic Council is such a big deal.

The Asian Giants really want it.

Look at the other Asian countries who were admitted as permanent observers: China, India, Japan and South Korea.

We are talking about the four largest economies in Asia and the two historic Asian civilisations.

Moreover, our Asian neighbours really want to be part of this exclusive club.

Japan applied for observer status in July 2009. China and South Korea filed a request for full observer status in 2009 but were rejected.

Singapore? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that Singapore submitted its application for observer status in December 2011 and appointed diplomat Kemal Siddique as its Special Envoy for Artic Affairs in January 2012.

This achievement is akin to Singapore finishing in top few medal rankings in the Olympics.

Or DPM Tharman being named as the Finance Minister of the Year (which he was!).

Or being mentioned in the uber-cool current affairs magazine Monocle (which we were!).

In the article, Monocle commented that "Singapore may seem the most unlikely of the six new nations to be granted observer status on the Arctic Council".

Singapore's request is an improbable one

Yes, our application appears unlikely at first glance.

The Economist magazine describes Singapore's Arctic Council application more aptly: "Sometimes, a small event gives you mental whiplash."

Because: "Singapore sits at the equator, as far from either pole as it is possible to be. How can it be interested?"

"Chope-ing" for Singapore's Long Term Interests

However, not knowing the Arctic's long-term impact does not mean we cannot reserve a spot in the decision-making table.

First, we know the Arctic is an important region. 

According to the United States Geological Survey, the Arctic is believed to hold up to 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of its gas.

Second, we know that the traffic through the Arctic region has increased. 

In 2010, only four ships carrying 111,000 tons of cargo made the northern passage; by last year, 46 did, carrying 1.26 million tons. There was also the first super tanker transit in 2011.

Third, we know that a change in the global shipping routes (if the ice melts) will reduce Singapore's importance in global maritime activity.

The Northern Sea Route (NSR), from Rotterdam to Yokohama, is 40 percent shorter than the existing route through the Suez Canal. This will save the super tanker time and fuel.

Source

We will let our commander-in-chief and educator-in-chief PM Lee Hsien Loong have the last word:

Source: Lee Hsien Loong Facebook

In other words, PM Lee thinks we should "chope" a place first while we explore and understand the long term impact of Arctic ice melting on Singapore.

This is diplomacy ahead of the curve. And our government at its strategic best.

It gives one a mental whiplash why no one is praising the government for this smart move.

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Top photo from here

Additional research by Sally Ong.