The melting of the Arctic ice cap is the surest sign that dangerous climate change is already upon us. But some of the world鈥檚 most powerful governments are not worrying about what to do about it, they鈥檙e scrambling to profit from it.
WikiLeaks released on May 12 that confirmed the race is on to carve up the Arctic region for previously inaccessible oil, gas and mineral deposits.
from the US embassy in Copenhagen, dated November 2007, advised that climate change means 鈥淕reenland鈥檚 carbon riches are more easily accessible than before鈥.
It said Greenland was 鈥渁n iconic adventure destination for hardy Congressional delegations and down-encased journalists looking for visual proof of climate change ... But Greenland holds strategic value for the United States beyond its starring role in the global narrative of climate change.鈥
As the ice cover retreats and temperatures rise, Greenland offers 鈥渙il and gas reserves to rival Alaska鈥檚 north slope鈥 as well as 鈥渆verything from diamonds and rubies to molybdenum and zinc鈥.
Greenland is still a colony of Denmark, but is moving towards full independence. Given this, the cable advises the US government to commit to 鈥渟haping Greenland鈥檚 future鈥 to guarantee US interests.
鈥淲ith Greenlandic independence glinting on the horizon,鈥 said the cable, 鈥渢he US has a unique opportunity to shape the circumstances in which an independent nation may emerge鈥.
It said Denmark, other European countries and 鈥渢he Chinese, who have shown increasing interest in Greenland鈥 were the US鈥檚 main competitors to control the island鈥檚 natural resources.
, dated May 2009, outlined the Russian government鈥檚 plans to exploit the Arctic for it鈥檚 鈥渧ast untapped resources of oil and gas鈥.
The cable argued that 鈥渂ehind Russia鈥檚 policy are two potential benefits accruing from global warming: the prospect for an (even seasonally) ice-free shipping route from Europe to Asia, and the estimated oil and gas wealth hidden beneath the Arctic sea floor鈥.
However, it also noted the serious environmental concerns raised by Russian scientists. They have warned that 鈥渃limate change affected the Arctic region disproportionately鈥 and that 鈥渨arming could increase the spread of certain vector-borne diseases鈥.
It also said: 鈥淟arge scale permafrost melting threatens Russian cities, such as Yakutsk, whose foundations are built on permafrost.鈥
WikiLeaks timed the release of the Arctic cables to coincide with the in Greenland. The council involves the eight countries that border the Arctic 鈥 the US, Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Iceland.
In contrast to the secret information in the US cables, the eight nations issued a that recognised the need to address climate change and pledged to 鈥減romote environmental protection and sustainable development of the Arctic鈥.
But no binding agreement or treaty to protect the Arctic was made. Behind the scenes, the Arctic nations are preparing to use force to ensure they can get hold of the Arctic fossil fuel deposits.
Greenpeace International鈥檚 Nick Young on the WikiLeaks cables: 鈥淭he terrible irony of it is that instead of seeing the melting of the Arctic ice cap as a spur to action on climate change, the leaders of the Arctic nations are instead investing in military hardware to fight for the oil beneath it.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e preparing to fight to extract the very fossil fuels that caused the melting in the first place. It鈥檚 like putting out fire with gasoline.鈥
The Arctic Council also ignored the significance of a major new report by the .
Its said the years 2005 to 2010 had the warmest temperatures ever recorded in the Arctic.
It pointed out that retreat of the ice cap 鈥渆nhances climate warming by increasing absorption of the sun鈥檚 energy at the surface of the planet. It could also dramatically increase emissions of carbon dioxide and methane and change large-scale ocean currents.鈥
Based on the current greenhouse gas emissions path, the report said 鈥済lobal sea level is projected to rise by 0.9鈥1.6 metres by 2100 and Arctic ice loss will make a substantial contribution to this鈥.
Such a rise would displace hundreds of millions of people around the world, including the residents of the Greenland capital Nuuk. The city, which hosted the May 12 Arctic Council meeting, lies at an average of just one metre above sea level.
Video:聽Greenpeace activists block Arctic oil drilling.聽.