Climate change is unlocking a new crossroads and potential center of conflict: the Arctic. But one key lawmaker is warning the US has lagged behind in securing the region, as other powers move in, adding he believes the Arctic may soon be a stage for a nuclear show of force by Vladimir Putin.
Climate change is unlocking a new crossroads and potential center of conflict: the Arctic. But one key lawmaker is warning the US has lagged behind in securing the region, as other powers move in, adding he believes the Arctic may soon be a stage for a nuclear show of force by Vladimir Putin.
“This new ocean is appearing on our maps, and it has all kinds of different implications,” Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said in an interview with CNN. “We’ve been slow to pick up on it, frankly.”
The summertime extent of sea ice in the Arctic has decreased by around 50% since the 1970s. The co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus believes the region’s dramatic change is likely irreversible in the short-term. While King argues the world must do more to confront climate change, a new reality is fast approaching and a global rush is underway, as global powers step in seeking untapped natural resources, like oil and natural gas, and highly coveted shipping routes.
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