Arctic waves

As the planet gets hotter, the ice of the two regions is rapidly melting, the global climate is changing dramatically, it is also the time when huge resources appear in the Arctic.

There are three major problems that make the Arctic a lucrative, indispensable bait: kerosene, seafood resources and transportation. Conflict in the North Pole will be disastrous .

In fact, there is no international agreement that determines what the Arctic is. The long-standing view of the Soviet Union is that the problems of the Arctic are only solved within the Arctic belt countries: Canada, Russia, the United States, Denmark - Groenland and Norway. After the Arctic International Scientific Commission was established in the early 1990s, the Soviet Union made concessions, adding Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Now there are more India and China.

Oil and gas

Norway's Snohbit (White Snow) complex is exploiting natural gas from the Barents Sea through Statoil State-owned Petroleum Company. By 2007, Snohbit will begin exporting liquefied petroleum gas to Port Cove Point, Maryland, USA. This will be a more competitive source of energy (especially in terms of transport security) compared to imported sources from the Middle East and Africa into the United States.

But no matter how big Snohbit is, it is far more comical than the company in the east, in Russian territory. In September 2005, this powerful Russian Gazprom Company invited five Statoil partners, Norsk Hydro (the same of Norway), Total (France), Chevron and ConocoPhillips (the same US) to join the Shtokman gas field. located on the bottom of Barents Sea, twice as large as Canada's gas field.

In addition to gas, oil resources are also 'full'. All international oil companies find ways to get a mining license in Russian or Norwegian Barents. Many large companies have come into contact with the Norwegian Arctic Institute to study the possibility of drilling in frozen water northward than Spitzberg.

If the Barents Sea opens, the global oil balance will change completely. Russia will become an effective counterbalance strategist with OPEC. In September 2005, the Indian oil minister came to Oslo to discuss mining. China has also set up a research station on Norway's Spitzberg island and has twice conducted the Dragon Snow icebreaker from Antarctica to study climate change.

If a new maritime route is opened in the north, even if only 4-5 months a year, Norway could become one of China's leading suppliers of oil and gas. In January 2005, the US State Department's Information & Research Office for two days heard reports from experts about the consequences of global warming and the possibility of the Arctic being 'open'! Conclusion: 'The United States and other countries need to reevaluate their foreign policies if this warming process continues. These are issues of approaching and exploiting new resources, especially in the field of oil and fishing '.

Fisheries change at the root

And yet, people have calculated the reserves of fish and crab giant due to thawing and global warming bring. For example, pink sardines are flooded with new rivers formed by the change of Tchouktches and Bérings sea to the south.

In a 2002 report requested by the US Navy, the Arctic Research Commission concluded that there was a movement of seafood species across the Strait of Berings: 'The global warming climate has made Fisheries in the North Sea, especially in Barents, Tchouktches, Beaufort . develop strongly. This area used to operate at a minimum. Moreover, the period of fishing in the Berings Sea will be wider when the ice appears late and dissolves sooner. '

But at the same time there are problems when the fishes move from one territory to another. For example, snow crabs seem to go toward Russia, leaving Alaska to the north and west when the ice melts. This lucrative industry could disappear from the American hands. Glenn Reed, chairman of the Pacific Fishing Association, said: 'If crabs move toward Russia, we will have nothing to do. Can only wait for the day when they come back! '.

Until recently only a few Arctic regions were scientifically exploited by icebreakers and atomic submarines. But today, many countries have sent research delegations to gain the right to expand territory. According to experts, conflict in the Arctic will be the most catastrophic.

It is the only place on the planet where the borders of Russia, Denmark, Norway, Canada, and the United States lie side by side, like people cut on top of an orange. The whole world will gather in a land and fierce conflict can be avoided. The Arctic Unified Protection Commission is still standing at the edge.

In 2001, they rejected Russia's claim to win more than half of the Arctic Sea. But Moscow has not yet given up. The Russian research ship Akademik Fyodorov goes straight to the North Pole and will draw a map that will benefit them the most. In June 2005, Denmark and Canada announced the establishment of a joint expedition, going to regions not yet their own territories.

Denmark's priority: proving the Lomonosov undersea mountain range of 1,600km long, connected to the island of Groenland is its territory! They also insisted that the Arctic peak was an ancestral property! Canada also wants to win as much as possible. Last summer, Canadian Defense Secretary Bill Graham visited Hans Island, a 3km long rock that both Canada and Denmark took control of! The United States also claimed a portion of the Arctic seabed, bigger than the state of California.

New strategic maritime routes

If the Arctic melted at the current speed, within the next 10 years will open extremely strategic maritime routes. From there will lead to fierce conflicts.

These new highways will shorten huge shipping costs from Europe to East Asia. To travel from London to Tokyo along the northwest, crossing the North American peak will be 13,680km in length. By contrast, the current route must bypass the Panama Canal, a length of 24,140km.

If following the North Sea route, crossing the North Europe and Russia peaks, the length is only 12,800km. On the contrary, following the classic road, via the Suez Canal, encircling the Indian Ocean, across the Straits of Malacca, must exceed 21,000 km in length.

The result of this massive traffic will lead to conflict, as the country that owns the road seeks to consolidate the law, in order to protect fishing, to prevent looting and smuggling, to protect the Northern Territory. my pole from being oiled . The problem is more complicated when Russia and Canada see the route as a national asset, while other countries are definitely . international!

How to divide the Arctic?

The five future countries will directly control the maritime routes and natural resources of the Arctic: Russia, Norway, Denmark, Canada and the United States. The current situation is that each country along the Arctic belt is controlled from its coast, which extends to 426km. No country owns the peak. The countries involved may submit their claims and must be approved by the United Nations. However, every country wants to encroach more, at least on the negotiating table. There are two opposing views.

Method of cutting median lines: proposed by the United Nations, Canada and Denmark. The Arctic Sea will be divided into lines extending from the border of each country, extending to the top. In this way, Denmark is the owner of the Arctic peak.

Propeller method: initiated by Russia and Norway. The Arctic Peak is a common property, from which to draw fan paths to the borders of each nation, like cutting an orange.

However, history shows that negotiations are often not done without a conflict.

Current situation: the Arctic Sea contiguous countries have control of 426km away from their existing coastline.

Divide the North Pole according to the Canadian, Danish and UN recommendations: the length of the coast of each country, extending to the Arctic peak.

According to the proposal of Russia and Norway: following the meridian lines coming from the Arctic dragging down the borders of the surrounding countries, such as cutting orange fruits from the top of the peak.

CENTRAL