Riz Khan - Battle for the Arctic - Aug 27 09 - Pt 2

The advent of global warming has seen the world's frozen north begin to melt, but it has also revealed a treasure trove of mineral resources.

Huge oil and gas reserves that have been locked underneath the snow are now becoming more feasible to extract.

Multi-national shipping companies are also eagerly eyeing the fabled Northwest Passage over the North Pole as a profitable future trade route.

Couple with this new commercial interest are the increasing political ambitions of the countries bordering the Arctic Sea: Russia, Norway, Canada, Denmark and the US.

However, the indigenous native populations who live above the Arctic Circle are not guaranteed a role in the power-broking over the region, nor are Inuits guaranteed a share of any future profits from potential Arctic commercial exploitation.

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But there are some people who would prefer to keep their lands pristine and preserve their way of life for future generations.

The Riz Khan show asks: who is responsible for the environmental protection of the North Pole region?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Gerd liepold
• greenpeace
• christoph seidler
• riz khan
• Arctic