Oil industry, US government woefully unprepared for spill in Arctic – study — RT News
Oil industry, US government woefully unprepared for spill in Arctic – study — RT News:
A new study says there is a lack of both scientific data and preparedness on the part of private and public entities to properly address an oil spill in the Arctic Ocean, which global powers and industry expect to exploit for energy exploration.
Climate change is thawing sea ice in the Arctic, opening up new opportunities for energy development. Approximately 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas and about 15 percent of its untapped oil lie in the Arctic. But the majority, 84 percent, of the estimated 90 billion barrels of oil and 47.3 trillion cubic meters of gas remain offshore.
Waiting for eager energy developers are some of the world’s most extreme weather conditions “and environmental settings, limited operations and communications infrastructure, a vast geographic area, and vulnerable species, ecosystems, and cultures,” the National Research Council wrote.
The five countries with territorial claims in the Arctic – Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the United States – have stated intentions to develop these reserves, if they haven’t begun already.
Reuters / U.S. Coast Guard / Petty Officer 3rd Class Grant DeVuyst / Handout
