Ring Around the Sun

The european space agency (ESA) released shocking images on September 14 showing the most direct route in the northwest sea passage fully clear of sea-ice. The area of ice in the passage covers the smallest area since it was first measured in 1978. The ice-covered area has dropped to about 3 million square kilometers (1.16 million square miles), a million less than a previous low in 2006 - a dramatic change.

Envisat ASAR mosaic of the Arctic Ocean for early September 2007, clearly showing the most direct route of the Northwest Pssage open (orange line) and the Northeast passage only partially blocked (blue line). The dark gray colour represents the ice-free areas, while green represents areas with sea ice.

Many Scientists claim that sea ice melting is only going to accelerate due to global warming and the ‘albedo’ phenomenon. The albedo phenomenon is the reflectiong of solar heat by sea ice due to its bright surface. Once the sea ice has melted and replaced with darker water, it increases the absorption of heat, thus accelerating the temperature rise.

While the scientific debate (aka propaganda) over the existence of global warming rages on, another much more dangerous battle is brewing. Canada claims full rights over parts of the Northwest Passage that pass through its territory and that it can rightfully control transit and trade vessels there. This has been disputed by the US and the European Union who claim the new route should be an international strait that any vessel can use. The war of words between Canadian PM Steven harper and US president G.W. Bush has started. US is probably worried about the influx of terrorists from an unpoliced northwest passage and probably wants to put its own security force there.

It is pathetic enough that scientists hired by a certain ‘government’ throw a veil of confusion over the global warming issue and paralyze any action to counter it. The icing on the cake is now an international dispute is brewing on who gets to profit from the opening up of a fabled shipping route between Europ and Asia.