alt Hacker NewsI somehow doubt that the major world powers that might have the capability or inclination to occupy a depopulated Alaska or Nunavut would put much credence in or be scared by a strongly worded opinion issued by the ICJ. One of them is busy trying to invade their European neighbor right now with bloody results. The other one is on a major island building project in the South China Sea turning sandbars and coral reefs into air bases to claim the oceanic territory.
When you said "It's a fairly well established geopolitical principle." I assumed you were talking about the legal aspect. That's why I responded the way I did.
Now I understand you're talking about not about the legality, but the practicality. That's even easier to refute I think: if a world power wanted to annex that part of Alaska, the ~4000 current residents of Nome wouldn't be much of a deterrent, even with their hunting rifles.