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March 2010

Vol. 15, No. 13 Week of March 28, 2010

Our Arctic Neighbors: Greenpeace calls for Arctic moratorium

Oil and gas development cannot possibly benefit Arctic ecosystems or communities, and Greenpeace is calling for a moratorium on all industrial activities in the part of the Arctic Ocean which historically has been covered by sea ice.

That was the blunt message delivered by Mads Christensen, Nordic executive director for Greenpeace International, at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromso Jan. 26. Subsistence activities should be permitted, he said.

“We see this moratorium as an immediate measure to address the current governance gap in the Arctic Ocean,” Christensen said. “Something that would remain in place until a more permanent and overarching treaty or agreement is established to protect this part of the Arctic Ocean from additional damage, similar to what is in place for Antarctica. Nowhere on earth are animals more important to human existence than in the Arctic.”

The record low sea ice extent in the Arctic Ocean that occurred in 2007 wasn’t predicted to take place until 2080, Christensen noted. Sea ice underpins the Arctic Ocean’s ecosystems, he said, and is not only shrinking but also thinning, and sea mammals won’t be able to adapt to a complete absence of summer ice. The acidity

Development not sustainable

Oil and gas development in the Arctic can never be called sustainable because of the impacts of spills and the contribution these activities make to climate change, Christensen stressed.

“In the shorter term there may be economic development and jobs, but they do not come with a guarantee that the ecosystems won’t be destroyed with it and in turn negatively affect the community itself,” he said. “So if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change that is already hammering many Arctic communities and the ice-dependent species, then those oil and gas reserves must remain below the Arctic Ocean seabed.”

The moratorium should continue until the whole world gets a chance to participate in governance of the Arctic, not only the Arctic nations, Christensen said.

“We are at a crossroad. The path we take is an intelligence test,” he said. “Do we drill and burn the fossil fuel reserves that are accessible only because climate change is causing the ice to melt, or do we protect the Arctic and give it and the communities living there a chance to adapt to the already serious changes taking place? ... From our perspective the part of the Arctic Ocean that has historically been covered by sea ice is one of the world’s global commons. It should be preserved that way and managed accordingly,” Christensen said.

—Sarah Hurst






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