A Push to Increase Icebreakers in the Arctic

Patrolling the icy Arctic requires large ice-breaking ships, and more countries look to the Arctic as a potential source for minerals and fossil fuels. The head of the US Coast Guard has warned that “whatever mix of natural and human factors is causing the ice retreats, the Arctic is clearly opening to commerce – and potential conflict and hazards – like never before,” reports Andrew Revkin for the New York Times. The melting ice in the Arctic has spurred shipping traffic throughout the region for many purposes including commerce, tourism and exploration. An inability to invest in new icebreakers could lead to the US losing the ability to control Arctic waters that border its own territory. – YaleGlobal