Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'Ice Wars' heating up the Arctic
CNN ^ | 15 July 2011 | Kaj Larsen

Posted on 07/17/2011 9:44:23 PM PDT by smokingfrog

On a small, floating piece of ice in the Beaufort Sea, several hundred miles north of Alaska, a group of scientists are documenting what some dub an "Arctic meltdown."

According to climate scientists, the warming of the region is shrinking the polar ice cap at an alarming rate, reducing the permafrost layer and wreaking havoc on polar bears, arctic foxes and other indigenous wildlife in the region.

What is bad for the animals, though, has been good for commerce.

The recession of the sea ice and the reduction in permafrost -- combined with advances in technology -- have allowed access to oil, mineral and natural gas deposits that were previously trapped in the ice.

The abundance of these valuable resources and the opportunity to exploit them has created a gold rush-like scramble in the high north, with fierce competition to determine which countries have the right to access the riches of the Arctic.

This competition has brought in its wake a host of naval and military activities that the Arctic hasn't seen since the end of the Cold War.

Now, one of the coldest places on Earth is heating up as nuclear submarines, Aegis-class frigates, strategic bombers and a new generation of icebreakers are resuming operations there.

(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Canada; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arctic; gas; oil; polarice
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-39 next last
Nice video of US sub popping up through the ice at the link.
1 posted on 07/17/2011 9:44:28 PM PDT by smokingfrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

If it’s not above 32F, I fail to see how enough ice is melting to cause a problem.


2 posted on 07/17/2011 9:46:52 PM PDT by wastedyears (SEAL SIX makes me proud to have been playing SOCOM since 2003.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

“According to climate scientists, the warming of the region is shrinking the polar ice cap at an alarming rate, reducing the permafrost layer and wreaking havoc on polar bears, arctic foxes and other indigenous wildlife in the region.”
Haven’t they been saying this every year
for the past 20 YEARS!!!


3 posted on 07/17/2011 9:50:21 PM PDT by Slambat (The right to keep and bear arms. Anything one man can carry, drive or pull.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

They’ve had ice free years in the Arctic Ocean in the 1930’s and 1940’s. It’s dishonest to pretend that that hasn’t happened or that it would be a disaster if it happened again.


4 posted on 07/17/2011 10:06:29 PM PDT by Post Toasties (Leftists give insanity a bad name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

“...scientists are documenting what some dub an “Arctic meltdown.”

Arctic meltdown? All the global warming “scientist” liars going bipolar nuts and freaking out up there?


5 posted on 07/17/2011 10:08:27 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

6 posted on 07/17/2011 10:10:14 PM PDT by TigersEye (Wranglers not Levis. Levi Strauss is anti-2nd Amendment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
The United States, Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Finland all stake a claim to a portion of the Arctic. These countries make up the Arctic Council, a diplomatic forum designed to mediate disputes on Arctic issues

One of these countries we are teamed with seems like trouble. I hope the competent and dynamic Sec of State is staying on top of this.


7 posted on 07/17/2011 10:13:11 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Slambat

I know there are Arctic species, but IF it were warming isn’t it obvious more species would benefit?

You have to read between the lines, the article also mentions advances in technology, that’s the real reason for the increased exploration and development, not climate change.


8 posted on 07/17/2011 10:16:16 PM PDT by Williams (Honey Badger Don't Care)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Lazlo in PA
How did Greenland get cut out of that Arctic Council?
Or were they just too smart to get roped into it?
9 posted on 07/17/2011 10:18:45 PM PDT by TigersEye (Wranglers not Levis. Levi Strauss is anti-2nd Amendment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

Greenland is still a quasi-part of Denmark with a kind of “commonwealth” status that gives Denmark control over foreign affairs, security, and finances.


10 posted on 07/17/2011 10:24:08 PM PDT by Enchante (May 1, 2011: Death to Bin Laden, Death to Bin Laden..... al Zawahiri is next!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

- According to climate scientists, the warming of the region

They went from “global warming” to “warming of the region.”


11 posted on 07/17/2011 10:32:00 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper ("Don't Call My Bluff")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

And now all of a sudden there are “climate scientists” instead of scientists.


12 posted on 07/17/2011 10:33:13 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper ("Don't Call My Bluff")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

Showing only two years is meaningless.


13 posted on 07/17/2011 10:44:37 PM PDT by Post Toasties (Leftists give insanity a bad name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Enchante

Thanks, I had no idea.


14 posted on 07/17/2011 10:48:24 PM PDT by TigersEye (Wranglers not Levis. Levi Strauss is anti-2nd Amendment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Post Toasties

‘79 is as far back as satellite records of Arctic ice go. Since the Greenies claim that the ice has been disappearing these last 32 years, and according to this article it’s disappearing at an “alarming rate” this year, showing that it isn’t seems rather meaningful to me.


15 posted on 07/17/2011 10:51:27 PM PDT by TigersEye (Wranglers not Levis. Levi Strauss is anti-2nd Amendment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

“According to climate scientists, the warming of the region is shrinking the polar ice cap at an alarming rate, reducing the permafrost layer and wreaking havoc on polar bears”

The more ice, and the thicker it is, the more the polar bears starve. Their source of food is in the water, below the ice. If they can’t break through the ice, they must trek sometimes hundreds of miles to find food.

So.... the author and the ‘alarmists’, as usual, have everything backwards.


16 posted on 07/17/2011 10:52:00 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

That’s true.


17 posted on 07/17/2011 10:52:40 PM PDT by Post Toasties (Leftists give insanity a bad name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

That’s true.


18 posted on 07/17/2011 10:52:46 PM PDT by Post Toasties (Leftists give insanity a bad name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

That’s true.


19 posted on 07/17/2011 10:52:54 PM PDT by Post Toasties (Leftists give insanity a bad name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

That’s true.


20 posted on 07/17/2011 10:53:00 PM PDT by Post Toasties (Leftists give insanity a bad name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-39 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson