By Christopher Le Coq (Scitizen)

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Northwest Passage Soon to Be Exploited

By Christopher Le Coq (Scitizen)

5 Jul, 2007 10:06 am

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The Northwest Passage may soon be accessible to massive cargo ships. This news is, of course, very welcome to the business sector, but very troubling to ecologists that worry about preserving the pristine surrounding habitat.

The Northwest Passage is a highly coveted potential sea route that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.Â The archipelago is a grouping of islands of which are separated by a collection of waterways which constitute the Northwest Passage. For the moment the passage remains locked in ice year round making it impenetrable to a vessel of any size. However, satellite monitoring and scientific studies show that the ice is diminishing. Obviously this is an intriguing phenomenon for all sectors of business that require or provide the transportation of goods as it would cut down on costs and transportation time. The opening of the passage will shorten the distance between Europe and Asia by some 4,000 miles versus having to go all the way south to Panama and then back northward toward Asia. Though for businessmen and consumers this represents some interesting savings, ecologist worry that the opening of the passage could carry with it some serious negative affects on the environment. Massive cargo ships would become common place in virgin waters and other surrounding areas. This situation brings back memories of famous names for ecologists such as the Exxon Valdez.

Read more..

Arctic in The Balance
Arctic Biodiversity: certain loss, potential discoveries?
"The Arctic is a Treasure Trove of Natural Resources"
"We Are Frightened of Pollution and New Invasive Species Taking Over"

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Climate Change

By Christopher Le Coq (Scitizen)

climate change,

climate change

northwest passage

arctic

Northwest Passage Soon to Be Exploited

By Christopher Le Coq (Scitizen)

The Northwest Passage may soon be accessible to massive cargo ships. This news is, of course, very welcome to the business sector, but very troubling to ecologists that worry about preserving the pristine surrounding habitat.

climate change,

climate change

northwest passage

arctic

More contributions

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Good News for Himalayan Glaciers, Bad News for the IPCC

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