

Canada launches mission to map Arctic seabed - saeranv
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28718806

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noiv
So, three countries are going to claim the North Pole, all backed by
scientific analysis. By irony the hydrocarbon resources below the sea ice
becomes accessible because of excessive use of hydrocarbon. Summer sea ice
volume atrophied to a fourth in last 30 years. On the Siberian side of the
Arctic hydrocarbon bubbles already up from the sea bed probably because of
Arctic amplification and recently we learned warming permafrost tends to
explode and build craters. According to the USGS oil resources assumed in the
Arctic satisfy global consumption for 3 years, gas a bit longer. If Arctic sea
ice finally disappears you'll see the environmental damage from the moon with
an unarmed eye. From the other pole we hear the western land based ice sheet
is unstoppable collapsing adding a few meters to sea level on the long run.
Actually the Arctic is still quite beautiful, that's why soon you can book
month long passages from Anchorage to New York worth $20,000.

Now please tell me that all makes perfectly sense and is not based on kids
having sandbox adventures.

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washedup
So, we are going to try to open up untapped sources of energy in the Arctic?
Isn't that the place we are worried most about in terms of climate change? If
the Arctic melts, won't water levels rise throughout the world and drown
various coastal cities? Seems like a bad place to bring a lot of attention and
investment, regardless of the scope of reserves available. I was under the
assumption that the world was beginning to move beyond oil because of the
excitement that Tesla and other companies alike have created.

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beloch
Whatever land is not claimed by Canada will be snapped up by Russia, and I'd
place more faith in Canadian environmental standards than Russian ones. Yes, I
know the protestors down in the U.S. are fond of telling us how evil Canada is
and how environmentally destructive the country is, but the truth is that
there is absolutely nothing in Canada, even the oil sands, that compares to
places in Russia like Norilsk.

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dmix
Always good to see Russia continuing to keep our politicians motivated to fund
bold scientific endeavors.

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saeranv
Hah, good point. This has funded a 10 year, $200-million scientific
investigation in mapping and exploration of the Arctic seabed.

Cite: [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-
orders-n...](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-orders-new-
draft-of-arctic-seabed-claim-to-include-north-pole/article15756108/)

