Arctic climate changes to be studied

This spring Canada along with other Arctic states will unite to commence a comprehensive study in the changes occurring in the Arctic climate.

A joint research on melting sea ice, permafrost, and glaciers will aid northern nations to tackle the irrevocable consequences of climate change.

Alongside, it also focuses on infrastructure regulations and future of agriculture in the Arctic.

Norway's senior Arctic official, Karsten Klepsvik told the Canadian press, "In 2015, we definitely should come up with a substantial amount of advice that we will present to the ministers, and that they hopefully will act upon,"

Canada’s key role in the project
The Harper administration has been highly criticized for the lack of adequate measures on the climate change issue. To counter these allegations, the project initiative has been taken by the government.

The Project - Arctic Change Assessment is scheduled for a launch in May 2011 at Greenland.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Lawrence Cannon will unveil the project, for its first round of discussions, during his meeting with his counterparts from seven other countries.

The council expects the study to get concluded by 2015.

Arctic ice meltdown, a serious concern
Rapid meltdown of Arctic ice is a major apprehension worldwide. Various related studies have been conducted in the recent years to address the issue.

Receding ice line, in due course, will release new commercial sea routes, also rendering the region’s oil and gas caverns.

It is feared that rising temperatures in Norway and Canada will encourage upcoming Arctic trade opportunities in oil and gas and fishing. This would be the biggest threat to Arctic’s climate-driven glaciers.

In northwest Greenland, a 260 sq.km of ice slab break away a glacier during last summer, the biggest ice chunk to slice off in the past half century.

Klepsvik said the council is aware of the severity of the problem.

In Klepsvik’s words, “They are fully onboard on all these projects. They are behind all the conclusions and recommendations coming out on these projects,"