Ottawa: Arctic Council to Meet Wednesday


B. McPherson

The eight nation Arctic Council will reconvene on May 15th to discuss security, sustainability, environmental protection and development. The nations which have coast lines on the Arctic Ocean formed the Council in 1998 in the face of the warming Arctic and threats and opportunities that an ice-free ocean would present.
In addition to the eight nations with coastlines on the Arctic – Canada, USA, Russia, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark(Greenland) – there are six nonvoting members who represent indigenous people and their interests. Observer status has been granted to eight nations. 14 other nations have applied to sit as nonvoting observers at this conference.

Some of the nations applying for status are puzzling at first glance, but the expected natural resources that lie under the ice have some already rumbling that they deserve a share of those riches – natural gas and oil. This year China, Japan, S.Korea, India, Italy, Singapore and the EU have all applied.

The Arctic is expected to be ice-free in the summer by 2050. This will create issues of sovereignity, security, environmental protection, transportation and search and rescue capability.  Canada has a long coastline, 162 000 km but a small population. Currently the federal government has committed to building a deep water port at the cost of at least $5.3 billion.  New ships capable of handling the harsh waters need to be built as well. Aircraft currently fly mercy missions, but planes are 5 to 6 hours away from the Arctic.

The Canada is split on the direction that the country should take as the Arctic changes. The Conservative government with Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq(Nunavut) seem to be taking a pro-business approach. Environmentalists fear that a free hand will be given to oil exploration corporations with little to ensure that spills and pollution will not occur.

There are wide opinions and stances with regard to the future of the Arctic Ocean and the plants and animals that live there. Disagreement has been common. Last November the Russian component banned its indigenous representative from participating. 

It is imperative that fuzzy borders are firmed up and soon. While the 322km(200 mile) control zone is recognized and accepted, there is dispute about how far continental shelves extend under the waters.  Overlapping claims are also a consideration. For instance, Canada and the US have overlapping claims where Alaska and the Yukon abut. Greenland and Canada are also close. Adding to the tangle is the fact that the US has declined to sign the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea.

Two thirds of the ocean lie in international waters. The average depth of the water is a little over 1000 metres, a depth that modern offshore drill rigs can handle easily. The Arctic is warming faster than any other place on Earth and the future opportunities and problems are rushing at us with warp speed.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prince Rupert Says No to Enbridge Pipeline

Image
B. McPherson Prince Rupert city council joined a growing list of BC coastal communities that are saying “No” to the Enbridge proposal to build a twinned pipeline from Edmonton to the coast. The decision of the Prince Rupert city politicians was unanimous. Already the village of Kitimaat, Terrace and the Skeena Queen Charlottes Regional District have voiced their opposition to the project. There are ongoing hearings by a federal court appointed Joint Review Panel which are gathering input from interested parties about the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline which would bring crude petroleum from the oil sands of Alberta to the coast of British Columbia. The proposal would see a twinned pipeline run over the Rocky Mountains and through wilderness to the treacherous west coast. The proposed terminus at Kitimat would require tankers to wend their way through the maze of islands and reefs to load up at the head of Douglas Channel. While the hearings and the finding
Read more

Abandoned Oil Pipelines What Lurks Below?

Image
These photos were taken July 2012 in the historic Turner Valley, Alberta B. McPherson Controversy over new oil pipelines is reaching boiling point in many circles. Heated debate is taking place over the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway and Keystone Pipeline proposals. Safety, disruption to landowners  and more are being weighed against the money to be made transporting and selling petroleum products. It got me thinking about the old pipelines. What happens to a pipeline when it is too old to use or not needed? It’s a bit of an Alice in Wonderland scene. The US laws and regulations are different from ours in Canada. The Pipeline and Gas Journal is a source of information about abandoned pipelines in Texas. Apparently a pipeline in Texas may be abandoned by a company, but it still retains ownership and may choose to reactivate the line at a later date. In the meantime, the right of way or easement is no longer maintained, but the through which the pipe extends is not free
Read more

Efficient Rail Transport May Make Pipelines Obsolete

Image
B. McPherson What happens to all the abandoned pipelines? Oil pipelines have huge direct costs to build, but they also have many hidden costs. In spite of dire warnings by environmentalist the world is demanding ever greater supplies of the black gold. For those countries that have it and market it successfully, money comes rolling in. But at what cost? An oil pipeline is a hugely complex thing. Enbridge Corp. has been battling citizens in British Columbia over its proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline and the Keystone Pipeline in the US has been stalled for months. When Big Oil needs to transport oil or bitumen to refineries, it usually gets a smooth ride to approval. Labelling energy security as a national priority, property rights are infringed upon. People in Canada cannot legally stop the installation of a pipeline across their property. The high pressure conduit is often buried only a few feet below the surface leaving crops, buildings and livestock vulnerable to a
Read more