AJ’s The Stream frames the question: Will the melting of the Arctic sea ice bring about a change in the geopolitical landscape?
This seems like the wrong question to be asking. When global warming caused by the use of fossil fuels is what is opening up this ‘bonanza’ of new fossil fuel reserves, it’s a bit like a man with lung cancer discovering a wonderful new source of cheap cigarettes.
Watching, listening, remembering past performances, the enforcement or lack of, this is scary. With the drilling taking place, if they have a blow out like in the Gulf, will they respond the same way, using that dispersant to hide the oil below the surface? Perhaps if the exploratory wells prove the recoverable amounts, then it would be a prudent thing to have who ever is going to drill, to put up a cash bond in advance, for the total net worth of the pool that will be extracted. That should keep any driller from cutting corners, at least that would be the desired result. If the fish stocks move north with the ice melting, then what? It;s only a matter of time before the military is involved. Then what?