As the ice caps continue to melt, new trade routes through the arctic are expected to open by mid-Century, increasing trade between the United States and Asia. Sure, we may be forced to live in Waterworld, where pirates run amok in a Kevin Costner-less future, but hey -- at least the economy will see a boost.
For hundreds of millions of years, the Arctic has been an impenetrable sheath of ice, forcing seafarers to navigate around the obstacle through man-made canals. Currently, trade between the U.S. and Asia runs primarily through the Suez and Panama canals; but as the planet continues to warm, the Northwest passage could become the next most-viable trade route. Hear that, Canada? With your meteor defense system and this added economic leverage -- you're on the verge of becoming the next superpower.
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Plus, man may soon be able to pass directly over the North Pole for the first time in Earth's history. Due to the albeido effect, where in which reflective light-colored ice is replaced by murky sun-absorbing water, the more the ice melts, the hotter the planet gets; becoming a viscous, downward spiral ending in the Apocalypse.
So, global warming is growing exponentially, and moderate energy policies aren't doing enough to address the seriousness of this fact. Last fall, the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center recorded the level of Arctic ice at an historic low. Now, scientists are scrambling to try and predict the consequences of heightened sea levels.
According to Laurence Smith, a geography professor at the University of California-Los Angeles, "The (Arctic) distances are vast. The landscape is boggy and wet and covered with lakes. What you see is a shutdown of human access on land and an increase of human access in the ocean."
Ships capable of plowing through an estimated four-feet of ice will be able to make the 'over-the-globe' trip by 2050. This new route will save ships 30% of current travel times through the Northern Sea Route.
It's nice to try and paint a silver lining on global warming. I joke about Waterworld and amphibious adaptations, but really -- melting ice caps shouldn't be seen as a positive thing. Although offering temporary economic perks, new sea routes are but a glimpse of a bitter long-term reality. The water is rising. The question is, when will our ancestors have to build themselves houseboats?
Besides, there are other ways to boost the economy! Like investing in clean-energy. Developing new strategies through collaboration. We don't have to simply accept our dismal fate. We have the ability to change the world. It starts with slowing global warming by cutting down on fossil fuel consumption. And how can we do that without descending into chaos?
Visit the NRGLab homepage at http://nrglab.asia/ to learn more about how the SH-box is the answer.
