Exploitation of the Arctic must be reined in

Rampant economic activity in one of our last wildernesses is a disaster in the making. The world needs the Arctic and we have a responsibility to protect it

THE Arctic is turning into the new El Dorado. Until now, exploitation of resources in the far north has largely been confined to the land. But with climate change ripping away the ice shield protecting the ocean, vast stores of mineral and hydrocarbon wealth - and maybe fish stocks too - are becoming exposed to humanity's most predatory instincts. This year has seen a sharp increase in preparations to extract wealth from the ocean's extensive continental shelves (see "Industries make a dash for the Arctic").

Last month, a group of UK parliamentarians - the Environmental Audit Committee - condemned the rush to exploit the wilderness of the wild north. In their report, the MPs called for the UK government to use its observer status at the Arctic Council, a federation of the eight Arctic nations, to push for a ban on offshore oil exploitation - at least until we have the technology and institutions in place to contain oil spills in the Arctic, and a liability scheme so companies can prove they can bear clean-up costs.

That is good - if their recommendations are heeded. But oil spills are only part of the story. No agreement exists on managing fisheries as they become accessible in the high Arctic, beyond existing territorial waters. The shipping lanes now opening up likewise need rules. The creeping advance of infrastructure on the tundra will fragment one of the planet's last wildernesses. And there is no general agreement to conserve it.

So as the ice melts and the snow disappears, a dangerous political vacuum is opening up. There is a compelling case that the Arctic should be governed in some way. Time is short - already global corporations are moving in, from oil companies like BP and Shell to miners like India's iron giant ArcelorMittal, not to mention Australian company Greenland Minerals chasing rare earth elements.

What form should this new governance take? The British MPs called for the creation of an international environmental sanctuary in the high Arctic, akin to the provisions for the Antarctic. That is a good idea. In an ideal world, such a sanctuary would include every part of the Arctic not already covered by existing settled territorial claims.

That would include the disputed Lomonosov ridge, pursued by both Canada and Russia, which stretches underwater almost to the North Pole. It might also take in the zone covered by the 90-year-old Svalbard Treaty. This places the northerly archipelago under Norwegian management, but allows economic activity by other nations - including, staggeringly, coal mining just a few hundred kilometres from the North Pole.

But even if such a sanctuary were created, it wouldn't be enough to save the Arctic in itself, of course. It's more likely that a bunch of scientists and conservationists would head for the far north and watch helplessly as the ice world melts. Only urgent global action on climate change can halt that.

The Arctic's fate is too important to be left in the hands of the Arctic Council. Unfortunately, it may remain that way. The world is engaged in a rush to grab the region's resources. What is really needed is a rush to accept responsibility for its protection.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

Have your say

Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.

Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article

Subscribe now to comment.

All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.

If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/241afef1/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Carticle0Cmg216288530B80A0A0Eexploitation0Eof0Ethe0Earctic0Emust0Ebe0Ereined0Ein0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

george h w bush pauly d project faith hill autism adrienne rich cesar chavez day raspberry ketone