CLAIM: The Arctic region’s history does not make the front page of news articles or magazines very often. Therefore, many people are not aware of how this once glorious region has a devastating history, especially in the past century. To compare the Arctic’s history from its last, scientists measure the sea ice covering peak around the time of late-March, as well as the nadir in the ice coverage around mid-September. EVIDENCE: in 2018, the final recording of the Arctic ice coverage was “5.59 million square miles, about 23,200 square miles larger than the record low maximum reached on March 7, 2017” (Viñas). ANALYSIS: In relation, the declining trend of sea ice in the Arctic region is not a recent veer, but a trend which began over a century
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EVIDENCE: Beginning around the year 600 AD and ending the data in the year 1900 AD, scientists predict the sea ice length in August hovered directly over 10 million square kilometers (Naam). Despite this, a century later, the sea ice decreased to only 4.64 million square kilometers when measured in September, 2017 (Vizcarra). ANALYSIS: When looking over the data, the shift from a stationary ice coverage level to a plunging one took place an assembly of decades ago. EVIDENCE: Furthermore, in her article, “Arctic wintertime sea ice extent is among lowest on record”, Maria-José Viñas, a science writer and outreach coordinator at NASA Goddard SFC, covering Earth and cryospheric sciences, quotes that the ice decreased about 13% in the last decade, which compared to all other documented years, is the lowest on record (Viñas). LINK: Along with less ice in the Arctic, results in more water added to the oceans. More water in the oceans result in less area for animals like the polar bear to live and a rise in water levels. Less land for polar bears eventually results in the extinction of their species and higher water levels leads to a unexpected change in the …show more content…
However, countries located near the Arctic region, all have the same attitude; ESTABLISHING EVIDENCE: use the land as a location to search for precious materials like oil. EVIDENCE: “Diminishing summer sea ice has encouraged energy companies to plan for an expansion of Arctic offshore oil exploration” (Harriss). ANALYSIS: The Big Five countries know the summer of each year is the best time to prepare for the oil exploration, since the ice coverage is the lowest all year-round. EVIDENCE: Not to mention, most of the world is fearful that the Arctic will be the “last large conventional oil frontier on Earth” (Harriss). ESTABLISHING EVIDENCE: With this in mind, countries like Russia and Canada, are preparing for this “final” oil frontier by spending an immense amount of money to get to the forefront. EVIDENCE: Charles K. Ebinger, the Energy Security and Climate Initiative's director from 2008 to October of 2014, along with Evie Zambetakis, previously a Senior Research Assistant at the Brookings Institute, put into perspective through their article, “The Geopolitics of Arctic Melt” a machine known as the Icebreaker. A nuclear-powered device used to penetrate through the solid ice. The cost is approximately a billion dollars, and 10 years to build. The importance of the Icebreaker in comparing the Big Five to each other, is
EVIDENCE: Beginning around the year 600 AD and ending the data in the year 1900 AD, scientists predict the sea ice length in August hovered directly over 10 million square kilometers (Naam). Despite this, a century later, the sea ice decreased to only 4.64 million square kilometers when measured in September, 2017 (Vizcarra). ANALYSIS: When looking over the data, the shift from a stationary ice coverage level to a plunging one took place an assembly of decades ago. EVIDENCE: Furthermore, in her article, “Arctic wintertime sea ice extent is among lowest on record”, Maria-José Viñas, a science writer and outreach coordinator at NASA Goddard SFC, covering Earth and cryospheric sciences, quotes that the ice decreased about 13% in the last decade, which compared to all other documented years, is the lowest on record (Viñas). LINK: Along with less ice in the Arctic, results in more water added to the oceans. More water in the oceans result in less area for animals like the polar bear to live and a rise in water levels. Less land for polar bears eventually results in the extinction of their species and higher water levels leads to a unexpected change in the …show more content…
However, countries located near the Arctic region, all have the same attitude; ESTABLISHING EVIDENCE: use the land as a location to search for precious materials like oil. EVIDENCE: “Diminishing summer sea ice has encouraged energy companies to plan for an expansion of Arctic offshore oil exploration” (Harriss). ANALYSIS: The Big Five countries know the summer of each year is the best time to prepare for the oil exploration, since the ice coverage is the lowest all year-round. EVIDENCE: Not to mention, most of the world is fearful that the Arctic will be the “last large conventional oil frontier on Earth” (Harriss). ESTABLISHING EVIDENCE: With this in mind, countries like Russia and Canada, are preparing for this “final” oil frontier by spending an immense amount of money to get to the forefront. EVIDENCE: Charles K. Ebinger, the Energy Security and Climate Initiative's director from 2008 to October of 2014, along with Evie Zambetakis, previously a Senior Research Assistant at the Brookings Institute, put into perspective through their article, “The Geopolitics of Arctic Melt” a machine known as the Icebreaker. A nuclear-powered device used to penetrate through the solid ice. The cost is approximately a billion dollars, and 10 years to build. The importance of the Icebreaker in comparing the Big Five to each other, is