Arctic frontiers
It is often said that the Inuits have 200 words to describe the Arctic snow and ice. But for just about anyone else, one word is sufficient. The Arctic is simply freezing.
Yet the region, once a part of a larger geopolitical puzzle, is home to one of the planet’s most spectacular yet vulnerable eco-systems – and presumably also to a large share of the world’s undiscovered petroleum resources. The region is marked by extreme weather, with winter temperatures well below zero, freezing winds and polar low Arctic storms prone to hit all year round. In addition, during the winter months the Arctic is numbed by a seemingly constant choking darkness. In short, the region poses extraordinary challenges to anyone or anything defying its dire warnings.
Yet, as we find ourselves in the midst of a climate crisis and an economic crisis, the world’s attention is once more turned towards the Arctic – this time to look for new solutions and opportunities.