The Skimmer: A very quick update on what’s going on in the Arctic Ocean region and why you should care

Perspective: Is it naïve to think the Arctic can be transformed in a positive way?

By Tundi Agardy, Contributing Editor, MEAM. Email: tundiagardy@earthlink.net

In a very short time, the story of the Arctic has seemed to morph from a case study in international law that only a policy wonk could love to a sobering story of a dystopian future. As the ice recedes and access to the riches of the pole opens up, Arctic nations are clamoring to secure rights and wield new technologies in shipping and oil and gas exploration and extraction that will promote short term profitability while likely threatening long term sustainability. Environmental conditions, and their rapid rate of change, have turned a laboratory for negotiation and cooperation into the Wild West.

The Skimmer: A very quick update on what’s going on in the Arctic Ocean region and why you should care

A few more wrap-up announcements from MEAM

MEAM is doing a major expansion of its Training Opportunities page and will roll the new resource out in the April newsletter. We are looking for short courses, graduate programs, tools trainings, elementary/secondary/university-level resources, and other miscellaneous opportunities such as video trainings and interactive games related to marine conservation and management for possible inclusion in the compilation. If you have any suggestions for us, please send them to meam@openchannels.org at any time. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and helping to build this unique and valuable resource!