Things are getting hotter near the North Pole in several ways.
The temperature is rising and the ice is disappearing. You can move about up there like never before.
The powers to be are trying to find their positions in the area. There is oil and gas at the bottom of the sea – most likely lots of it. Russia has already positioned a permanent flag made of titanium at the bottom of the sea near the Pole. The maps are being drawn, the continental shelf is measured, sonic booms are heard all over, the submarines are moving around.
The principles of division are hotly debated, mostly behind closed doors, rules are being laid out, and quotas will be allocated.
The US, Canada, Denmark, Russia, Norway are all in there already, and the referee is the UN. Sensible process so far it seems, but who knows what will happen when the final countdown begins. Big power or dialog based on international law? Maybe we need some new laws also?
Transparency is not allowed at the moment – the doors must be closed – don’t show your hand – who are these people jockeying for positions on behalf of whom?
So then follows the south China Sea, the South Pole area, and what about the bottom of the Pacific – not a word so far – is it too deep: Excitement all around us.
Maybe we should postpone the end of big oil a few (hundred?) years?
