Drawing Borders In The Melting Arctic | UPDATE 3/28/21 U.S. - Russian Arctic Moves
The thawing Arctic is "like discovering a New Africa", according to Icelandic President, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson.The thawing Arctic is the last, greatest resource prize on the planet.
Borders are being drawn to establish the claims of Far North nations to the newly accessible wealth...
Russia is establishing an early foothold over much of the region...
Interest in the Arctic (and access to its riches) intensifies as Greenland experiences an unprecedented & unexpected Sahara heat wave in Summer '19...
11 billion tons of ice melted in a SINGLE DAY last month...
Nearly 200 billion tons during July '19.
Such an accelerated rate of melting of the Greenland icecap was anticipated no earlier than 2070 - and more likely well into the 22nd Century.
Comments (19)
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Alaska gives the U.S. a legitimate claim on some portion of the Arctic wealth & newly opening Arctic Ocean shipping lanes.
In related breaking news -
Russia wants a do over on Seward's Folly.
What wouldn't Russia give to have Alaska back NOW??
I picked it up somewhere that China is also standing in the line. You perhaps know offhand what their claim is based on?
"After a long period of speculation, the government of China released its first White Paper on the Arctic on January 26. The document, entitled 'China’s Arctic Policy' («???????»), was introduced by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou at a Beijing press conference hosted by the country’s State Council Information Office. In addition to outlining Beijing’s specific objectives in the Arctic, the document also confirmed that China’s Arctic interests would be tied to the expanding Belt and Road trade initiative via a 'Polar Silk Road.”'
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I believe China's primary interest is shipping routes which brings in resources & sends out China's products..."The Polar Silk Road".
An early example was accomplished in 2018 when Russian oil tankers carried Norwegian oil to China via newly navigable Arctic Ocean routes.
As brought out in the "Borders" vid in the OP, these Arctic sea routes will save weeks of time and much money compared to more Southerly routes.
China may also stake some claims as a "near Arctic nation", but her claims wouldn't be based on an Arctic continental shelf.
Continental shelf claims have been made by Norway & Iceland and can be made by Russia, Canada, Scandinavian nations, Greenland, the U.S.
Again, refer to the "Borders" vid in the OP.
Mackerel -
None caught in Greenland waters prior to 2011.
2014 - Greenland exported 85,000 TONS
As the icecap recedes, Greenland's previously inaccessible mineral wealth (notably rare earth elements, gold, rubies - as well as petroleum/gas) are increasingly accessible & mining operations are laying plans to extract it...
Due to it's new found wealth, Greenland is seeking greater independence from Denmark & may become an independent country.
Russia must be very pleased. It will give them all the ice free seaports they have always wanted.
I came across a September, 2019 copy of National Geographic Magazine.
It contains a series of articles on The Melting Arctic.
It's beyond excellent IMO
If you can get hold of a copy, it's WELL worth a read.
A weakening Jet Stream means what happens in the Arctic no longer STAYS in the Arctic.
From the 1980s -
Warming in the tropics may initiate Ice Ages.
With apologies to Mark Twain -
Climate is a lot like weather. Everyone talks about it but no one does anything.
Greenland Has Gained 510 Billion Tons of Ice Over the Last Year
September 1, 2018 Cap Allon
Summer is over, and Greenland’s surface has gained 510 billion tons of ice over the past year – about 40% above normal.
The SMB (Surface Mass Balance) from Sept 2017 to Aug 2018 has been the highest in 20 years, thanks to exceptional snowfall last winter and the lowest melt rate for 17 years in summer 2018.
The Modern Maximum is over, welcome to the Grand Solar Minimum.
Russia has 220 ships parked on a Philippine Island that the Filipinos say are loaded with combat ready personnel.
I dunno why Americans don'''t get it!
Think US Peso...you cannot and will not be allowed to fund your economy by starting wars that kill millions. Those days are over, actually the idiot setting in Trumps seat had the impertinence to state that the US needs a another war to rejuvenate its economy. You should read what's JB has been saying.
Moscow warns of ‘measures’ against any Western troop deployment in Ukraine, as Kiev cites guarantees of US support in a conflict
On Friday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry issued a statement saying that it had received guarantees of American support after a telephone call with Washington’s top military official, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austen. “The US Secretary of Defense stressed that in the event of an escalation of Russian aggression, the United States will not leave Ukraine alone,” the Ministry said.
comments came as US President Joe Biden expressed Washington’s “unwavering support” for Kiev in the face of what he called “Russia’s ongoing aggression in the Donbass and Crimea.” In his Friday phone call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, he also said his administration is committed to revitalizing the “strategic partnership” between the two nations.