The Scramble for the Arctic Ownership, Exploitation and Conflict in the Far North

by Sale, Richard; Potapov, Eugene

• ISBN13: 9780711230408
• ISBN10: 0711230404
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-12-01
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln

Summary

In August 2007 the world reacted with consternation as Russia planted a flag beneath the ice of the North Pole, symbolising the Kremlin's claim to the Arctic with its vast mineral resources, and firing the starting gun on the world's last colonial scramble.Written by Richard Sale, author of The Complete Book of the Arctic, The Scramble for the Arctic examines the history of the region and its exploration, the current state of ownership, the likely outcomes of today's powerplays, and what is at stake both politically and ecologically.With the map literally being redrawn by global warming, the ownership of the Arctic will be one of the defining issues of the next decade. Amid much propaganda and obfuscation,this deeply informed and clearsighted account of the competing interests of nations, corporations and indeed species will prove an invaluable resource.

Author Biography

Richard Sale is one of the world's leading Arctic scholars and explorers and a professional glaciologist. He has written widely on Polar history, exploration and wildlife and is the author of many books, including To the Ends of the Earth: The History of Polar Exploration which was the 2003 UK Outdoor Writers Guild Best Book on an Outdoor Theme, and The Gyrfalcon (Popatov and Sale), which was the US Wildlife Society's Book of the Year for 2006.Eugene Potapov is a world renowned specialist on arctic wildlife. He has been travelling in the Arctic for the last 25 years and written extensively on the biology of its birdlife, primarily birds of prey. He obtained his doctorate from Oxford University on Arctic birds. He is now a professor at Bryn Athyn College, Pennsylvania, USA. In 2006 Potapov and Sale were awarded the US Wildlife Society's Book of the Year for their joint publication The Gyrfalcon.

Table of Contents

Contents:

Introduction

The Formation of the Arctic Basin

Mineral Deposits in the Basin

A History of Ownership

Present Legislation

What the Future Holds