The race for the Arctic is about more than oil.
Steve Hargreaves says that the race for Arctic resources is about more than oil:
'In addition to oil and gas, the Arctic is is thought to contain world-class reserves of iron ore, zinc, nickel, gold, uranium, and other minerals.Already, the world's largest zinc mine is in Arctic Alaska, while the largest nickel mine is in Arctic Russia. One estimate in a Geological Society of London paper said the mineral value in Russia alone could exceed $2 trillion.
Fishing is also an important resource in the region, and could grow as more waters become accessible and species such as cod migrate northward.
Clearly, there will be expanding uses of the Arctic as it thaws.
Whether humans can successfully tap these resources without further damaging the environment, and whether Arctic riches will offset the likely substantial costs imposed by global warming elsewhere on the planet, is another matter entirely.
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I don't think these cost/benefit calculations are going to slow the march. If there's gold (black or otherwise) in them thar ice flows, history suggests they'll be exploited.
(AP Photo)