The Arctic. The last available source of untapped wealth in the form of natural resources Earth has to offer, and every country who can lay claim to it will try. The diminishing ice surrounding the North Pole means that it is now open to exploration and geological mapping to countries with an Arctic border, such as Canada, Denmark, Russia, Norway, and the United States. Every one of these countries are beginning to establish a presence in the Arctic (Smith, 2010, p. 651-652) due to the U.S. Geological Survey estimating that it could contain 240 billion barrels of oil and oil equivalent gas (USGS, 2008). According to the Law of the Sea, each country owns 370 kilometers out from its shoreline, and an additional 278 kilometers out from any area
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Canada is conducting a 70 million dollar research expedition to map its side of the Lomonosov Ridge. Eventually it will lead to a submission to the United Nations for their claim to the Arctic (The Christian Science Monitor, 2007). While the government may be spending money to do extensive research, it is in the country’s best interest. If Canada were to gain control of the vast mineral wealth of the Arctic, it would positively impact our economy. Not only does it possibly lead to our country gaining economic value, but it also gives the government reason to implement the Northern Strategy. The Northern Strategy focuses on multiple things, such as the sociological and economic development, protection of the Arctic environment, and our sovereignty (Canada’s Northern Strategy, 2009). The Northern Strategy is important because of multiple issues, one being with the Northwest Passage. Because some countries believe the Northwest Passage can be used as a “strait used for international navigation”(CBC News, 2009), Canada could lose absolute sovereignty (CBC News, 2009). If the Northwest Passage is declared international waters, the pollution from the increased naval traffic could damage the already fragile ecosystem of the Arctic. If Canada were to retain these waters, they could impose their own regulations and laws upon any vessel moving through who don't follow a certain environmental or …show more content…
Greenpeace has been active in opposing the movement to develop Arctic resources in radical ways. In September 2013, a Greenpeace crew boarded a Russian oil rig. The Russians quickly detained the activists by force and held them in custody for almost three months while investigating them under piracy charges. The activists were eventually freed. This was not the first incident of its kind. Another group of Greenpeace activists boarded an oil rig off the west coast of Greenland, to protest oil exploration (Canadian Global Affairs Institute, 2014). These incidents are an issue if activists put themselves or others in harms way. Another concerned stakeholder are the indigenous tribes who live in Canada’s North, who depend solely off the land and the animals who live in the Arctic. Because drilling could disrupt the ecosystem and in turn could decrease the amount of animals to hunt, there has been a statement signed by forty two aboriginal groups calling for the end of drilling in the Arctic shelf (National Post, 2013). While not all of those aboriginal groups were in Canada, it shows the stakeholder concern and should be addressed. Finally, Cleaning an oil spill is extremely risky because it’s never been attempted in the Arctic. Therefore, the firms in Canada have a responsibility to follow all laws and regulations put into place by the Canadian government.
Canada is conducting a 70 million dollar research expedition to map its side of the Lomonosov Ridge. Eventually it will lead to a submission to the United Nations for their claim to the Arctic (The Christian Science Monitor, 2007). While the government may be spending money to do extensive research, it is in the country’s best interest. If Canada were to gain control of the vast mineral wealth of the Arctic, it would positively impact our economy. Not only does it possibly lead to our country gaining economic value, but it also gives the government reason to implement the Northern Strategy. The Northern Strategy focuses on multiple things, such as the sociological and economic development, protection of the Arctic environment, and our sovereignty (Canada’s Northern Strategy, 2009). The Northern Strategy is important because of multiple issues, one being with the Northwest Passage. Because some countries believe the Northwest Passage can be used as a “strait used for international navigation”(CBC News, 2009), Canada could lose absolute sovereignty (CBC News, 2009). If the Northwest Passage is declared international waters, the pollution from the increased naval traffic could damage the already fragile ecosystem of the Arctic. If Canada were to retain these waters, they could impose their own regulations and laws upon any vessel moving through who don't follow a certain environmental or …show more content…
Greenpeace has been active in opposing the movement to develop Arctic resources in radical ways. In September 2013, a Greenpeace crew boarded a Russian oil rig. The Russians quickly detained the activists by force and held them in custody for almost three months while investigating them under piracy charges. The activists were eventually freed. This was not the first incident of its kind. Another group of Greenpeace activists boarded an oil rig off the west coast of Greenland, to protest oil exploration (Canadian Global Affairs Institute, 2014). These incidents are an issue if activists put themselves or others in harms way. Another concerned stakeholder are the indigenous tribes who live in Canada’s North, who depend solely off the land and the animals who live in the Arctic. Because drilling could disrupt the ecosystem and in turn could decrease the amount of animals to hunt, there has been a statement signed by forty two aboriginal groups calling for the end of drilling in the Arctic shelf (National Post, 2013). While not all of those aboriginal groups were in Canada, it shows the stakeholder concern and should be addressed. Finally, Cleaning an oil spill is extremely risky because it’s never been attempted in the Arctic. Therefore, the firms in Canada have a responsibility to follow all laws and regulations put into place by the Canadian government.