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Northeast Passage Becomes Viable Trade Route
Stirling Newberry writes "The New York Times reports on the continued expansion of the sea route along the Russian side of the Arctic Ocean. It was only in 2009 that outside ships were allowed to ply this lane, but Russians have used it since the early 20th century. What makes this year a landmark is that the polar ice cap is smaller at its September minimum than before, allowing large container ships and oil tankers — the backbone of sea commerce — to travel between Europe and Asia, saving time and money over the Suez route, as well as avoiding several politically unstable regions of the world. Putin has been pushing development along the route. While the northwest passage is only gradually opening, the opposite side of the Arctic Ocean looks set for expansion. Siberian Riviera anyone?"
I buy kondo in Vladivostok for just this.
Good? :(
Another Global Warming Wankfest
Russia has, historically, been known to start wars for ports/trade routes. This one was so locked in ice that it could never be used. Now, however, it is viable?
Scary
Capitalism.
Wth is a "riveria"? The word you are looking for is riviera, numbnuts.
Sure, all coastal cities might be gone in fifty years, but who cares; it's lovely spring weather at the pole.
There is ALWAYS an upside.
In before the tree-huggers drop the "Klimate Change" protest signs and pick up the battered old "Global Warming" protest sign in the corner. ManBearPig is real!!! I"m Super Cereal!!!!!
dri7en Lout by the you have a play
How Ironic. A number of Republicans and nearly all neo-cons/tea* deny that Global warming is occurring. Yet, they are all dying to make use of this northwest passage. Yet, the ONLY way for this to open is if warming is happening.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
The sparring over oil rights, right up to the Pole have been hotting up.
Russia, Iceland, Sweden, among others are looking at the prospect of drilling in the seas - which scares the heck out of me. One good chunk of ice and then what? I hope it proves too costly to attempt.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
Still waiting for Godzilla.
But not Matthew Broderick. Or Raymond Burr.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Yes, it is good. It makes major economies more efficient which is a step towards increasing wealth overall.
This sounds like what should rightly be termed a "rising tide fallacy". This increasing wealth will be concentrated among a very few who will use it to further pervert markets and politics.
Which is not to say that flat or decreasing wealth is good or better. Rather, it simply acknowledges that increasing wealth is not necessarily good, under the current circumstances, and that it may be a net "bad". An unfortunate state of affairs.
Actually quoting the register
So this is sort of non-story hype.
The rumor on the Intertubes is that the U.S. still leases Alaska from Russia.
Cheers.
Yours In Minsk,
K. Trout
Since Canada lays claim to the Northwest passage how long till it fully opened and how can Canada set up the toll booths?
He would be so proud.
Are we not coming off a solar activity peak?
The armchair climatologist in me expects the ice sheets will return in the next 2-3 years and this will, once again, not be a shipping lane. The earth may be warming slightly, but without a high level of solar activity I don't think it will be enough to drive off the ice sheets.
My engineer friend points out that if this saves fuel for large shippers, that should decrease global warming, resulting in a future closing of the passage to these largest ships, right? :)
I know! Opening the passage means easier oil transportation, which means cheaper gas. Which means accelerated global warming, which implies faster melting of the ice cap, which implies the passage will open even more, which means even cheaper gas!
Sound travels extremely well and fast in water, and is close to inescapable to ocean life. The noise pollution produced by boats is having adverse effects on at least whales and dolphins: http://news.discovery.com/animals/whales-scream-noise-pollution.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7003587/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/noise-pollution-disrupts-whale-communication/
Riviera!!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riviera
http://www.arcticbridge.com/
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/press/top/2002/02/2002-02-15-05.html
It's been active in trade routes in Churchill Manitoba through to Russia (direct) for a couple of years now from what I've heard.
And yes, "global warming"/"climate change" is why it's basically permanently open now. Old news. *wry grin*
Now that it's going to make a few rich fucks richer I see it as a good thing!
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
I just wish someone would come up with 2 different terms. One for general global warming, and one for man-made global warming.
Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
You need to educate yourself about the difference between a "reserve" and a "resource". "Oil shale" (a somewhat politicized term) is a reserve, and there is a great deal of evidence showing it will never be a resource. There is a great quantity of long chain hydrocarbons embedded in "oil shale", but very little of it will ever be extracted.
One detailed scholarly article about oil shale
Summary: There's a lot of the stuff, but the logistics of turning it into real oil appear impossible to overcome. This is because the energy cost of extracting the stuff and converting it into a useful form is about the same as the energy one gets from it. "Shale Oil" seems to have a net energy gain of about 2:1 or 3:1, which makes it not really worth getting, regardless of the price of oil. In order for an energy source to provide useful net energy to society it needs to have a net energy gain better than 5:1, preferably 10:1 or better. For comparison:
Result: there's a lot shale oil in the ground. It is destined to stay there.
What was placed on the arctic ocean floor at the North Pole on Aug 2nd, 2007?
a Russian flag
War as we knew it was obsolete
Nothing could beat complete denial
- Emily Haines
Just what we need in these uncertain times, a saviour who knows the true way. I am humbled upon your knowledge that unsettled climate will only be a boon for agriculture, for I had feared that it may devastate our existing farming systems.
Please, Lord Mosley, tell us more. Will the britons be blessed with tropical fruit, and the Maritimes be the new Caribbean? Will papa be home for christmas?
How much of your attention does it take to breathe?
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the chest-beating poker-faced munchkin certainly gets about doesnt he.
I can see Russia from my boat!
"You killed my yogurt!" --Fred Fredburger