It is predicted that the ice on the North Pole will be melted during Arctic summers in 2040. If this holds true, this scenario would occur decades earlier than expected.
Because the North Pole has always been completely covered with ice, man kind never seriously attempted to gather the natural resources underneath it. It is estimated that a large percentage of global natural resources are hidden here.
Even though these claims are merely based on estimations (actual amounts of natural resources stored here remain unknown), governments adjacent to the Arctic area attempt to prove that it belongs to them. In 2007, Russia even symbolically planted a flag on the bottom of the Arctic Sea to claim exclusive future digging rights. Furthermore, new transportation routes are explored which will arise once ice barriers have been removed. These routes will shorten transportation distances considerably.
Even if man kind would quit polluting the planet from this moment on, we would not be able to stop the North Pole from melting. Therefore, one might argue that we cannot do anything about it, and should therefore exploit this area to the fullest extent. Besides, the world is facing a shortage of natural resources, and this would be an opportunity to temporarily delay this issue. Furthermore, shorter transportation routes might decrease pollution of transportation traffic.
On the other hand, the consequences of such a situation would be quite radical for all ecosystems and living creatures in the area.
In my opinion it is quite worrisome that, once scientists find out that the North Pole will be melted much earlier than expected, the first thing our governmental top does is exploring the possibilities of economic enhancement, rather than investigating opportunities to slow down the damage. Has man kind, after all these years, still learned nothing after all?
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3 comments:
s477986
The environmental problems are definitely raising in their importance with every coming year. The highly developed countries are trying to implement policies to diminish the harm that is done to the environment, however, I do think that in order to solve these problems it should be bottom-up approach rather than top-down one. The initiative of caring for the environment should come from each individual that would practice it in their every day life, rather than conveying all the responsibility to the government which currently seems to be the case.
As for the concerns that article author puts on the investigating of the possible usage of the Arctic regions. I do think that it is not wrong to look for opportunities that can be drawn from the current situation and developments as long as governments keep on raising public awareness of environmental problems and issues.
The author is right to question whether mankind has learned anything at all after all those years. The problem is when the north pole has melt totally, all the available resources will be easy to dig up and use. Since these resources will become scarce over the years, everyone wants to have a bit for themselves to use or sell to other countries. There is nothing that can be done about that. It is human nature to act in self-preservation. However the impact of the melting will change the world drastically, for example the Netherlands will face serious problems defending from the rising water. We will have to adopt to the changing world or we will have to change ourselves. Ultimately the world is doomed to end one day, we are only speeding this process up.
ANR 137506
I agree with the author that it is rather remarkable and worrisome that governments place a higher priority on economic enhancement than on nature.
The actions of the government are completely self interested. However, what the government apparently does not keep in mind is the fact that harming the nature will only result in harming themselves and other people. If more and more fossil fuels are used, the average temperature of the earth will increase and consequently the sea level will rise. This in turn might, for example, cause cities to flood and people to die. As a result the government violates the moral principles not to hurt others, not to kill others and respect for oneself and others.
However, it is not a single government that is responsible for this happening. All people on earth are responsible for the well-being of the nature and consequently each other.
s926012
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