#arctic arcticmythbusters arcticpolitics

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New Study Says Sex Sells

 Got your attention? Amazing isn’t it how a headline grabs you and makes you click on a news item, whatever the social or news media source. The headline may have very little to do with the actual content of the article itself, such as in this case. But it grabs you and can subconsciously be registered as “fact”.  When a reader clicks on the headline, that simple click on a smart phone, a computer or a tablet, not only links you forever to the story behind the headline, it registers another statistical click for the source.  That’s why they use sensational headlines, to gain clicks, to prove readership.  

 What continues to frustrate me is that sensational headlines often have little to do with the story underneath.  That’s not too bad if we take the time to actually read the article and find out the true story, but in this rapid paced world, we are more apt to either click and speed read through the accompanying article not catching the irrelevance of the headline, or more egregiously, our eyes pop wide and we “share” the story, shocked by the headline.  After all, others have to know.  The story continues to be reposted and begins to build a false sense of accuracy as others grab hold and redistribute.

 OK, so why am on this one again?  It was another series of blog/RSS/internet media posts that yet again headlined the “coming conflict in the Arctic” due to global climate change.  Of course, the story beneath the headline had almost nothing to do with “conflict”, in fact buried deep within the article was a short sentence saying that the 5 Arctic coastal nations of Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States have in fact, been working collaboratively on many issues and that UNCLOS was slowly taking care of the marine “borders” that were as yet undecided (not, I hasten to say “disputed”, as the few borders that are undecided are cooperatively dealt with, with no antagonism between parties.

 In this topic specifically, the facts are quite different than the recurring headlines frighteningly warning of Polar war to come.  Regardless of the headlines and the occasional misinterpretations of “border disputes”, all five Arctic coastal states are committed to peaceful resolution. Far different than the imagined conflict, is the level of cooperation that exists as neighbouring Arctic nations have often worked together to gather and share the data each collects individually or multilaterally with other nations as they move towards their Arctic Ocean claims under UNLCOS.  Science will prove the claims, not bluster, rhetoric or force of arms.  Though as yet not signatory to UNCLOS, even the United States has been collecting bathymetric and geological data to bolster a future UNLOS claim.

 Let’s not make too much about headlines that claim Russia is militarizing their Arctic in advance of some nefarious plan of world dominance.  They are doing nothing more than any of the other Arctic nations (including the not coastal states which additional include Finland, Sweden and Iceland) rebuilding infrastructure abandoned at the fall of Soviet Russia or putting in place small defensive bastions as bases for support to border protection as well as support to commercial shipping.  They have the right to put in place facilities and personnel to protect their vast Arctic coastline, described by many, including myself as here to fore lacking of infrastructure to support the slow growth in Arctic shipping.  They are not alone.  Though proceeding at a less than frenetic pace, Canada for example has increased military presence in it’s Arctic zone, building an Arctic training centre in Resolute, as well as a half dozen ice strengthened Naval patrol ships, not necessarily due to perceived threat, but to be better able to police the vast Canadian Arctic Archipelago.  Canada, United States and Denmark just completed a complex search and rescue exercise involving military as well as civilian agencies, personnel and equipment. Are these activities militarily provocative and indications of grand schemes of world domination?  I think not.  They are signs of each nation’s slow recognition of their previous lack of attention on their northern coastlines, and the resultant movement to put in place infrastructure and capability to show sovereignty, to provide support to increased shipping and to enforce national rule of law upon their rightful territory.

 I get it, sex sells, conflict sells, fear sells.  All of them can even get governments elected.  I am a realist of sorts so I know that the headline writers won’t read this, won’t suddenly see the sad error of their ways and change.  So that those of us that DO see the erroneous headlines, and sadly, even erroneous stories that perpetuate in the world of internet fast news, should try our best to set the records straight.  Read before you repost or share.  Verify what is in the body of the piece, and even do your part to tell the real story.  Really, the world can become a better place.