Module 2 Discussion Topic

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Geography

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Oct 30, 2023

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Module 2 Discussion Topic: Climate Change and the Arctic When I first read the module two discussion question, what is my view on large-scale oil and gas development in the Arctic region? I was initially leaning towards supporting it but with conditions. My thought was if there are proven extensive resource deposits that have never been reachable until now, why wouldn’t we find environmentally conscious ways of harvesting them while providing jobs and economic boosts to the Arctic region. However, after delving into this module’s readings and reviewing many of my peer’s discussion posts, I am not sure. With many experts predicting that climate change, technological advances, and rising demand for resources may unlock considerable economic potential for the far north ( The Emerging Arctic , n.d.), it is easy to consider this as possibly a good thing. In my opinion, it takes more work, and it takes more searching and research to uncover all the disadvantages that this activity poses. Human activity like this could have irreversible impacts. It could destroy one of Earth’s last pristine, real natural landscapes that provide habitat to iconic wildlife and native communities that have subsided there for thousands of years ( The Emerging Arctic , n.d.). While I was reviewing the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and Climate Change document for Beluga Whales, it mentioned some negative impacts of climate change. Some consequences mentioned were more ship strikes and noise, chemical pollution, changing prey availability, and unreliable ice refuges (Carr et al., 2009). These would all be exaggerated by increasing access to resources, and that is just one species; there are hundreds of other flora and fauna that would be impacted. Not to mention the impacts that additional oil and gas exploration would have on Indigenous communities and their cultures and traditions. The precautionary principle has been summarized by this quote: “When there is substantial, credible evidence of danger to human or environmental health, protective action should be taken despite continuing scientific uncertainty” (Schwarcz, 2017). I believe exercising the precautionary principle in this situation may mean not exploring the hydrocarbon or petroleum resources in the Arctic at all. Carr, J., Badhe, R., Wong, C. Y., Brooke, S., & Foden, W. (2009). Species and climate change: More than just the Polar Bear . http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/ Schwarcz, J. (2017). The Precautionary Principle | Office for Science and Society - McGill University . https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/controversial- science-health-toxicity/precautionary-principle

The Emerging Arctic . (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://www.cfr.org/emerging-arctic/#!/32620

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