A Scramble for the Arctic

by Tom Hughes in At home on 06.08.08

Could it be that the publishing of a new map to show rational claims by nations on Arctic resources can avoid the human instinct to compete for the prize?

The map, which has been produced by British scientists, seeks to identify the areas which could become hotspots for border disputes as resources continue to run out and countries start to look for untapped reserves.

A rush to divvy up the huge potential of the Arctic, it seems to me, has some of the hallmarks of the Scramble for Africa which pitched (European) nation against nation to plunder the previously unimaginable riches of the African continent - itself unformed at that time into anything as “civilised” as political entities.

Now, I am not suggesting there is the potential for human misery and suffering on quite the continental scale as when Britain, France, Belgium, German etc carved up the cradle of humanity in the name of empire. I hope the clock will not be set back more than a century to when Cecil Rhodes bestrode Africa like a colossus for Queen and country, or when King Leopold II of Belgium bled the Congo of rubber and ivory.

However, writer Joseph Conrad’s vision of the savage heart, beating in the darkness behind the civilised breast, could be set to live again in the coming years.

Heart of Darkness?

The irony is that as the ice continues to melt, increasing exploration of the sea bed is possible. The more damage which is done to the environment, the greater the capacity for exploiting it further. And with the Arctic hiding an estimated 90 billion barrels of oil, along with up to a third of the world’s undiscovered natural gas, claims by nations are only set to increase.

The debate was started again after Russia made its intentions clear by symbolically planting a flag on the ocean floor last year.

The map shows all agreed boundaries and existing claims, along with making suggestions about areas that could be claimed in the future. It assumes a sensible extrapolation of the claims that all coastal nations have over the sea for 200 nautical miles from their shores.

Unfortunately, it is precisely in these grey areas of claim and dispute where humans are shown in their most unflattering light. We can only guess what the coming years will bring if and when energy crises take hold and threaten the status quo.

Conrad understood that the most savage deeds are performed under the banner of politics, by those who consider themselves the embodiment of civilisation. The figure of Kurtz looms large.

The only question I have is this: which Kurtz will find his way to the pot of gold, and will he emerge unscathed? Or will it be a case of apocalypse now?

IMAGE by Flickr user nick_russill