Trying To Unravel The Mysteries Of Arctic Warming–LISTEN-
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/20/139754902/trying-to-unravel-the-mysteries-of-arctic-warming
An iceberg is seen melting off the coast of Ammasalik, Greenland, in July 2007. This year, scientists say sea-ice extent in the Arctic has reached its lowest level since monitoring by satellite began in 1979, the result of rising temperatures.
The Arctic may be the world’s next geopolitical battleground. The melting ice will have profound consequences for the roof of the world, opening strategic waterways to shipping, reducing the ice cap on Greenland, and spurring a rush to claim rights to the wealth of natural resources that lie beneath. NPR examines what’s at stake, who stands to win and lose, and how this could alter the global dynamic.
The Arctic is heating up faster than anyplace on Earth. And as it heats, the ice is growing thinner and melting faster. Scientists say that sometime this century, the Arctic Ocean could be free of ice during the summers. And that transition is likely to be chaotic.
Jerry Roberts
