Assessing the Resource Gap in a Changing Arctic

• Main Author: Wright, Michael T
• Other Authors: ARMY WAR COLLEGE CARLISLE BARRACKS PA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Navigation and Guidance; *ARCTIC REGIONS; *GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM; CLIMATE; COMMERCIAL AVIATION; DEPLOYMENT; EMERGENCIES; ENVIRONMENTS; GLOBAL; ICE CAPS; INFRASTRUCTURE; NATURAL RESOURCES; OIL SPILLS; SHIPS; SHORTAGES; Arctic; Ice cap
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA593027; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA593027

The receding Arctic ice cap illustrates the impacts, both positive and negative, of a changing global climate. Environmental changes have brought new challenges and opportunities including transportation, tourism, exploration, and access to previously inaccessible natural resources. These new opportunities will result in increased human activity in the region from tourism to mineral extraction. Chances for military conflict remain low, however an array of potential large scale man-made crises are increasing with the opening Arctic. Potential Search and Rescue (SAR) and environmental crises include oil spills, airline emergencies, and foundering cruise ships. Currently, the Arctic has little infrastructure or resources to provide any substantial response to these events and the demand will only grow in a busier Arctic. This paper will explore the issue of emergency logistics shortfalls throughout the region. Specific points include analysis of the supporting participants and requirements driving them, the resource gap, approaches to bridging that gap, storage and deployment options. The assessment concludes with a conceptual model for addressing the resource gap across the region within a budget-constrained environment and the impacts of inaction.