The Arctic is a land of wealth – not only in its beauty, its cultural fauna and heritage, but in the type of product that we appreciate the most: oil, gas, lithium, cobalt, gold and more.
However, these treasures are not good for us. As our special report on polar science reveals (see “Why the leak of sea ice to the posts is a crisis for the whole planet”), Extracting abundant arctic resources for commercial purposes is delicate.
Trying to transport oil and gas from the region is an expensive company, even with the dubious rear wind of Climb sea ice Help clean the new ocean plots for drilling. While industry and transport are gradually moving to electricity and hydrogen power, the demand for oil will drop, making expenses increasingly difficult to justify.
It is also a similar story for minerals. Greenland is a hotspot for materials in demand, perhaps one of the reasons why US President Donald Trump is aggressively taking control. But even leaving aside the lack of infrastructure of Greenland – the roads are difficult to find on this icy island – it is a risky place to invest. The landscape changes quickly as the glaciers meltrevealing new precarious ribs that threaten the landslides and tsunamis.
For a business manager with a hard nose, there are easier and less dangerous places to extract
Through the terrestrial Arctic, the melting of permafrost destabilizes existing roads, buildings and industrial sites. For a business manager with a hard nose, there are easier and less dangerous places to extract.
The consideration of the Arctic as a ticket for abundant economic growth is the race of a fool. Instead of seeing it as a ripe region for exploitation, we must treat it as a scientific wonder, while respecting the people who live there. After all, as the most evolving region of the earth, it is at the forefront of our climate future. And it remains so much to learn: how speed could the ice disappear? How fast will sea level increase? And what happens if and when the ice has disappeared?
On a more positive note, researchers are increasingly inventive pioneering means to unlock these mysteries, from a new “deriving” laboratory to ultra-profinity ice exercises and advanced submarines. The Arctic overflows with possibilities of exploration and discovery. We just need to let go of the idea of monetizing them.
