THE STORY WORLD
Now, that is changing. With temperatures rising in the Arctic twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet, and sea ice retreating farther north every year, offshore fossil fuel exploitation has become increasingly viable. Vast oil and natural gas reserves are found beneath the Barents Sea. New superpowers compete to exploit the bounty. The four states are working hard to strengthen their grip on Lapland. Ever since the Soviets gained their own nuclear weapons in 1949, strategists have wondered how and where an all-out atomic war – world war three – would break out. At one time, that incendiary scenario was a clash in Berlin, Germany. However, after the Cold War, fears of such a deadly encounter evaporated and there was little thought about such possibilities. Today, the prospect of a catastrophic third world war is again becoming all too imaginable. This time, it appears an incident in the Arctic could provide the spark for Armageddon. For the Arctic indigenous peoples, a superpower conflict in their core areas would be a disaster. Tribes would be forced to fight against each other as proxy forces support- ing the multiple superpowers.
Vast deposits of oil and expensive minerals are hidden under the snow.
10
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker