Author(s)
Marilyn Heiman
Author(s) Description
Director of the Pew Environment Group's offshore energy reform efforts and the U.S. Arctic Program
Marilyn Heiman responds to Sen. Mark Begich's (D-Alaska) blog Is the U.S. Prepared for a Changing Arctic? on NationalJournal.com.
Here are three steps the United States should take today to address the rapid changes already underway in the Arctic:
1) Develop a comprehensive research and monitoring plan to guide decisions about America’s Arctic Ocean.
2) Set aside ecologically significant areas for protection.
3) Ensure that strong standards and capacity are in place to prevent and respond to oil spills in the Arctic.
Today, this extreme yet fragile region, including its rich human culture, is facing upheaval caused by a changing climate. The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the planet, putting one of the world’s last relatively untouched ecosystems under great stress. Rapid industrial development would add even more strain, bringing significant water, air, and noise pollution. The cumulative effects of oil and gas exploration and development, as well as maintenance and service activities, on this pristine ecosystem are unknown.
Science must guide our way if we are to avoid irreparable harm to this unique place. A long-term monitoring plan is critical for understanding the changes already underway and avoiding or mitigating future damage.
Protecting biologically sensitive areas from oil and gas drilling would provide a haven for migrating, feeding or reproduction of marine mammals and birds already struggling with retreating sea ice and other climate-induced habitat loss. Such areas would benefit not just wildlife, but the indigenous communities that have thrived along the Arctic coast for thousands of years—while practicing a traditional way of life dependent on the region’s natural bounty.
Then there’s the ever-present risk of an oil spill. A Deepwater Horizon type spill here would be devastating. There are no road systems, no major ports and no permanent Coast Guard presence to deal with a spill. Oil in sea ice is nearly impossible to remove with current techniques.
As Alaska and the world are racing forward to figure out how to deal with the challenges and opportunities of a more open Arctic, we must not leap without looking—or planning. The nation faces a historic choice: Allow unchecked development of the extreme, remote and fragile U.S. Arctic Ocean, or ensure that scientific research and adequate spill prevention and response, in consultation with indigenous communities, provide a path to a sustainable environment and way of life.
