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The Northwest Passage — Climate Change and the Arctic
 
For decades now Earth’s scientists have been concerned over the prospect of climate change, and the consequences it spells for the future of the planet. As time passes,more and more data becomes available, solidifying the argument that global warming is anatural phenomenon
1
, yet exacerbated and made worse by the actions of the human race.Such an argument is the subject of heated controversy, catapulting the world into endlessdebate over the credibility of this allegation. Just like a Crown prosecutor must submit hiscase before a jury, and convince them of the facts beyond any reasonable doubt, the bulk of the scientific community have been eagerly and anxiously gathering and submittingdata in an effort to further unravel the facts on global warming. The jury—composed inthis metaphor of Earth’s population—must be completely convinced that climate changeis a man-made problem, that must be solved with decisive man-made solutions, beforereal solid action can be compelled. Reactions to these arguments have been varied,however, with the largest disappointment lying at the feet of the world’s most powerfulgovernments, namely the United States. The U.S. should not bear the brunt of this blame,however; many world governments, including Canada, have made it difficult to deal withthe issue of climate change. An example of this would be the recent news surrounding the Northwest Passage, a sea-route in the Arctic Ocean that connects the Atlantic to thePacific Ocean. In mid-September of 2007, the European Space Agency (ESA) releasedsatellite photographs of the iconic arctic passage, featuring a distinct lack of ice-coverage.“The area covered by sea ice in the Arctic,” the Agency reported, “has shrunk to itslowest level this week since satellite measurements began nearly 30 years ago, openingup the Northwest Passage.”
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The ESA further warns that such a drastic shrinkage serves
1
Edgerton, Lynne T. The Rising Tide. (Washington, D.C.: Natural Resources Defense Council, 1991), 4.
2
European Space Agency, “Satellites witness lowest Arctic ice coverage in history,” ESAhttp://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMYTC13J6F_Protecting_0.html(accessed November 28th, 2007)
 
as a red flag, remarking that arctic sea ice might be disappearing faster than scholars previously believed.
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The Northwest Passage could not only be easily navigable in thesummer months, but for a longer period through the year; the ice-free “season” could beincreased by anywhere from 41, to 100 days.
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This news was received differently acrossthe globe, from the environmentalists seeking to understand the accelerated rate of shrinkage, to the politicians considering the possible benefits of such a development. Thearctic has been the subject of concern for many years among sea-faring nations,specifically between Canada and the United States. The issue of sovereignty has beenhotly debated as early as 1969, when the U.S. supertanker the
Manhattan
traversed the passage—without Canadian permission.
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The
Manhattan
incident marks the beginning of a long-term argument between the Canadians and Americans, an argument that has yet to be resolved. The Canadian Government believes the Northwest Passage lies withinCanadian waters, while the Americans stridently dispute this, regarding it as aninternational waterway. Many nations dispute these sovereignty claims due to territorialand economical reasons—the convenience and ease of the Northwest Passage for shipping, and the possible oil to be found beneath arctic waters, presents an undeniabletemptation.
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But with these concerns in mind, the larger issue of the arctic environmentand its condition seems to be too easily cast aside. The ESA is correct in that arctic seaice reduction is a “flag”—a warning that global warming is affecting the arctic in waysthe scientific community does not quite yet understand, and that decisive action isrequired to prevent further damage.
3
European Space Agency, “Satellites witness lowest Arctic ice coverage in history.”
4
Barrie, Maxwell. Responding to Global Climate Change. (Downsview, Ontario: Environment Canada,1997), 44.
5
Tynan, Thomas M, “Canadian-American Relations in the Arctic: The Effect of Environmental Influencesupon Territorial Claims.” The Review of Politics, 41, 3. (1979), 414.
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The Globe and Mail,
“The Northwest Passage Thawed,” Page A9, February 5, 2000.
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