May 30, 2008 04:30 AM
Re:UN to play mediator in Arctic
disputes
May 29
The future of the Arctic Ocean is an issue of significant international importance. Ideally decisions of such magnitude are made in open, consultative forums involving all stakeholders.
Foreign ministers and senior officials from Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the U.S. attended the closed, invitation-only Arctic Ocean Conference in IIulissat, Greenland this week. The conference was called to discuss ways in which the nations bordering the Arctic can better co-ordinate efforts to manage the Arctic Ocean.
The retreat of sea ice caused by climate change opens new opportunities for the expansion of economic activity, such as commercial fishing, shipping, and oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the Arctic Ocean. While potentially bringing short-term benefits to the economies of Arctic coastal states, the expansion of economic activity can also trigger overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, pollution from ships and offshore extraction of oil and gas, oil spills, invasion of alien species carried by ships' ballast water and other extremely harmful effects.
In future, WWF urges the conference participants to discuss the urgent need for a new and stronger system for governance protecting the Arctic from climate change and other potential threats to its vulnerable marine environment.
We also call for the Arctic coastal states to engage in open and constructive dialogue about the future of the Arctic Ocean.
Neil Hamilton, Director, World Wildlife Fund International Arctic Program, Oslo, Norway
The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) is:
Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m
Local Time: 2:16 AM AKDT
Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W
Temperature :: 46 °F / 8 °C
Conditions :: Overcast
Windchill :: 46 °F / 8 °C
Humidity :: 93%
Dew Point :: 45 °F / 7 °C
Wind :: Calm
Pressure :: 29.83 in / 1010 hPa (Steady)
Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16
Clouds:
Few 1100 ft / 335 m
Scattered Clouds 2800 ft / 853 m
Overcast 3600 ft / 1097 m
(Above Ground Level)
