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It means increased trade between Europe and East Asia, because container ships will be able to traverse the Arctic.

by tropo 10y ago

int_19h 10y ago
It also means faster warming, because of reduced albedo - and part of that warming is transferred to the adjacent land ice (esp. Greenland) and permafrost, melting it in turn, which translates to higher sea levels. For bonus points, when permafrost melts, it releases methane, which is also a greenhouse gas. Then there's reduction of ocean salinity, affecting existing ecosystems established around the current level (and with a rate of change too fast for gradual adaptation). And not to forget about the disruption of existing ocean currents, which significantly affect weather patterns. And if I remember correctly, atmospheric circulation would also be affected. Open shipping lanes are well and good, but when you can't grow the usual crops where you used to be able to grow them, because the climate is no longer appropriate for them in that location, and seafood catches are lower because the ecosystem is disrupted in a big way, you may well find that all that extra cargo capacity is used up just shipping food to places that used to be able to grow their own.
- chronic6l 10y ago
  Global warming is accelerated by humans and our planet is doomed if we do not stop it. With that said, I could care less about saving the environment. Recycling, composting, and electric vehicles - most of this is an inconvenience to me and is more expensive. My kids and their kids will be perfectly fine in their future environment. Now the trillion dollar question is how do you make people like me care? No, 25 cent paper bags at Safeway won't convince me to bring my own reusable bag.
- burfog 10y ago
  Alaska is bigger than Hawaii, so warmer is better. Alaska has enough land for the entire USA. There is plenty of space to grow mangoes, papayas, bananas, and pineapples.
  - int_19h 10y ago
    Who said anything about Hawaii? Why not compare to the wheat belt states?

It means increased trade between Europe and East Asia, because container ships will be able to traverse the Arctic.

by tropo 10y ago

It means increased trade between Europe and East Asia, because container ships will be able to traverse the Arctic.

It also means faster warming, because of reduced albedo - and part of that warming is transferred to the adjacent land ice (esp. Greenland) and permafrost, melting it in turn, which translates to higher sea levels. For bonus points, when permafrost melts, it releases methane, which is also a greenhouse gas. Then there's reduction of ocean salinity, affecting existing ecosystems established around the current level (and with a rate of change too fast for gradual adaptation). And not to forget about the disruption of existing ocean currents, which significantly affect weather patterns. And if I remember correctly, atmospheric circulation would also be affected. Open shipping lanes are well and good, but when you can't grow the usual crops where you used to be able to grow them, because the climate is no longer appropriate for them in that location, and seafood catches are lower because the ecosystem is disrupted in a big way, you may well find that all that extra cargo capacity is used up just shipping food to places that used to be able to grow their own.

chronic6l 10y ago
Global warming is accelerated by humans and our planet is doomed if we do not stop it. With that said, I could care less about saving the environment. Recycling, composting, and electric vehicles - most of this is an inconvenience to me and is more expensive. My kids and their kids will be perfectly fine in their future environment. Now the trillion dollar question is how do you make people like me care? No, 25 cent paper bags at Safeway won't convince me to bring my own reusable bag.
burfog 10y ago
Alaska is bigger than Hawaii, so warmer is better. Alaska has enough land for the entire USA. There is plenty of space to grow mangoes, papayas, bananas, and pineapples.
- int_19h 10y ago
  Who said anything about Hawaii? Why not compare to the wheat belt states?