At least the Russians are willing to explore for new energy sources. Heck, tree huggers and politicians on both sides here in the states refuse to allow new drilling for oil and gas off our coast and in Alaska. It reveals the mixed up priorities of some who would put national security and cheap resources in the back seat behind the misguided notion that by tapping our natural resources we some how damage our environment. Here is the article and a line or two.
http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2831111.ece
Russia has fired the first diplomatic shot in a really cold war. The new oil rush has been galvanised by the accelerated shrinking of the polar ice cap because of global warming, which has allowed exploration that had been previously unthinkable because of the extreme conditions.
Russia claims that the Lomonosov Ridge, an underwater mountain range crossing the polar region, is an extension of its territory. The UN has rejected Moscow's 2001 claim to the ocean bed, which it says is part of its continental shelf under international law but the Russians are due to resubmit their case to the committee administering the Law of the Sea.
A brains trust of 135 Russian scientists, led by a 68-year-old personal envoy of President Vladimir Putin, the explorer Artur Chilingarov, plan to map out part of the 1,240-mile ridge.
But yesterday's scientific achievement of dropping a titanium capsule containing the Russian flag on to the seabed could not conceal the political advantage gained by Mr Putin. Once again, he has demonstrated to the West Russia's determination to expand its energy empire.
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