Melting arctic sea ice now makes it possible to reach parts of the Greenland coast that once were inaccessible, which of course incites a loud "yee-haw!" from the oil business, according to this story from the Herald (UK). Greenpeace is taking a dim view, understandably, pointing out the fragility of Greenland's ecology and the dangers of a rush to extract natural resources. With no ice to protect oil-bearing areas, the world will rush in.I didn't know that Greenland had Bureau of Mines and Petroleum, which sounds as if it will soon change from a sleepy, nothing-to-do office into a beehive of activity. The outcome will probably be less like the charming Scottish town in Local Hero, and more like the bareknuckled squalor of There Will Be Blood.
Landsat 7 photo of Greenland by NASA
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