Pot Of Gold Under The Rainbow

The Arctic has suddenly become a focal point of interest for nations bordering that not so frozen ocean at the top of the world.Under the ice cap there are untold riches in the form of oil, gas and minerals. For centuries people thought that these riches were beyond the grasp of man as the costs of reaching them were prohibitive. Global warming has changed all that. What scientists predicted would take decades if not centuries to uncover the riches suddenly is happening in years.

Living in the high Arctic gave me a distinct advantage in seeing the warming effects and the many problems associated with these changes. It is 15 years since I set foot on the tundra and 6 years since I returned for a visit to fish and photograph my favourite places. Over such a short period how could there be major changes?

The changes effect the way of life of the hunter who is unable to have firm ice over which to travel to the hunting grounds. Shorter winters give wildlife such as polar bears less time on the ocean to catch seals so vital for their very existence. Animals previously unable to live in the harsh north are appearing. This includes birds and even large mammals such as the barron land grisly bear which now has a foothold on Victoria Island.

The longer summer means more thawing of the tundra to new depths and the permafrost melting and forming a muddy mixture which makes travel difficult and even impossible. This will only get worse as time passes. Shorter winters also means that winter roads so vital for the hauling of materials and fuel to feed the mining industry will be available for a shortened operating season.

I have not begun to touch the surface of the changes which will be evident very quickly but the rainbow of opportunity for a shipping season for large vessels and oil and gas development is about to cause major challenges in protecting the environment and the unique life style of the Inuit.

The Arctic land grab is about to unfold and there will be power struggles to grab all that is within reach of the powerful vested interests. How can we avoid the tragic mistakes that will surely come to be, such as the development of the tar sands? Hopefully the players who border the Arctic and its riches will form a pact to exploit the riches with a minimum of environmental stress on this last frontier of earth.

I am an optimist but I have little trust in big business to do the right thing in these matters. There must be a universal realization that a co-operative effort must be taken on behalf of all people and not just the business interests. We trust there will be enough good men and women to advocate sensible development.