About
to protect the north pole against the exploitation of it's natural resources by greedy nations, big oil companies and mining firms.
"To symbolise its claim, Russia will plant its flag on the sea bed before taking samples it believes will prove the Lomonosov Ridge, which runs underneath the Arctic Ocean, is an extension of the Siberian continental shelf and therefore Russian territory.
Meanwhile, Canada and Denmark, through its sovereignty over Greenland, claim that the Lomonosov Ridge is connected to their territories and therefore the ocean is effectively their property. In a sign of how tense the situation is becoming, the Canadian government recently placed a C$7bn (£3.25bn) order for new naval patrol vessels, a move that Prime Minister Stephen Harper said was designed to 'defend its sovereignty over the Arctic'.
Soaring oil prices have created a new urgency among the countries competing to make their claim.
Nor is oil the only resource that is ripe for exploitation in the thawing north. There are also large mineral deposits and coal beds in the Arctic, for example. In addition, there is the prospect of opening up vast new fish reserves as ice cover disappears over the Arctic Ocean. For several years, British research vessels from Dunstaffnage Marine Research Station, near Oban, have been studying these stocks.
The rush to exploit the Arctic worries other scientists. They point out that the region is important because the effects of climate change are more pronounced here, and arrive earlier, than in any other part of the world. When things go wrong, they are first noticed in the Arctic. But if oil companies and mining firms start pumping out carbon dioxide and other waste as they open up the region, the pristine conditions that have helped scientists make past observations will be destroyed, obscuring our view of our dangerously warming world."
the Observer (WORLD). July 29, 2007.
Three different viewpoints presented by international newsrooms:
EuroNews: Russia plants flag in Arctic Ocean territorial claim
Fox News: Russia plants flag on Arctic floor, claims North Pole!
RussiaToday: Polar expedition tests Mir subs
1. The dangerous battle for the Arctic is a serious global threat.
2. North Pole's natural resources must be left alone.
3. We need to stop global warming and save the globe for the coming generations.