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Aโ๏ธ432-wordโ๏ธ2.5-minuteโ๏ธread
I thought the president had moved on from Greenland.
No such luck.
The interest in Greenland is far from new. The desire to own the frozen tundra dates back over 100 years. After buying Alaska, Secretary of State William Seward wanted to acquire Greenland.
During WWII we occupied Greenland to keep Germany from establishing a presence. That military presence remains today. However, itโs no longer Germany thatโs the threat, but Russia who considers the region strategic.
Itโs not so much about the potential to mine rare earths or other natural resources. Numerous companies have attempted to extract the value of Greenlandโs raw materials without much success. Despite a dozen exploratory projects, there are only two active mines.
And like Americans, Greenlanders arenโt particularly fond of having mining operations in their backyard. The New York Times reported on one Australian mining company that spent $100 million on a Greenland-based project only to see the governing party kill it.
Though the legality is being litigated, Greenland has also banned uranium mining. The territoryโs other minerals are often co-mingled with uranium which makes it tricky to extract anything without violating the ban.
No, Greenlandโs real value is squarely tied to shipping lanes. For that, President Trump can thank climate change.
Despite being a hoax, for some reason the arcticโs ice is melting opening up previously problematic shipping lanes. Given that 90% of all global goods are transported by boat, the renewed interest in the remote home to 57,000 people with fewer than 100 miles of roads is not hard to understand.
Since early this decade, the aforementioned Russia has been busy deploying ice breakers to open the Northern Sea Route to commercial traffic. Last October, President Trump authorized the construction of up to four icebreakers.
Hmmโฆ I wonder what for?
Last October, a China used the route to reach Great Britain in 20 days. Thatโs about half the time it takes using traditional routes. Ironically, Reuters reported that the ship carried solar panels and EVs.
If I thought the president capable of holding two thoughts in his head simultaneously, I might believe this is his grand plan.
Stifle clean technology and perpetuate the use of fossil fuels to accelerate the ice melt and enhance the arcticโs strategic value. Acquire Greenland and position the U.S. to exert control over the region.
Thereโs an elegance to such a long-term plan. Too bad executing it involves further harming the planet. Lucky for the president that minor downside doesnโt factor into his thinking.
#climatechange #greenland #climatechangeisreal