The Arctic Chessboard
Taking note of this news out of Denmark, Time’s Ecocentric blog wondered,
Is the scramble over the North Pole back on?
As I discussed here, the scramble has been on for a few years already. I call it the global warming = Arctic geopolitical hot spot narrative.
Over at the Natural Security blog, the wonks have a cautiously optimistic perspective:
The recent announcement that the Arctic Council agreed to coordinate search-and-rescue missions is a good indicator that cooperation is possible. But as Arctic nations assess their own national interests, friendly competition may be a trend that will continue to emerge among our longtime allies. It is hard to tell at this point, but it’s a trend worth watching.
To the degree that this competition is about accessing fossil fuels, it is yet another type of AGW positive feedback. One that, I would guess, is not in any model.