

The U.S. will assume the chairmanship of the eight-member council next month, and for the first time in 15 years.

Papp, who had a distinguished military career, is an excellent choice. Warmer Arctic temperatures have melted sea lanes, opening new opportunities for maritime development along the Northwest Passage above Canada and the United States.

Increased maritime activity, economic development and climate change are part of the U.S. agenda during its two-year stint as chairman of the council, with an emphasis on climate change and its environmental impact.

The bigger environmental threat, however, is not from the north but rather from the south, where key glacier melting in Antarctica poses a real and serious potential of increasing sea levels, upward of 10 to 11 feet, which could have a significant impact on U.S. coastlines.

According to a recent paper published in Nature Geoscience by an international team of scientists from the U.S., Britain, France and Australia, the 40-by-18 mile Totten Glacier in Eastern Antarctica is losing the equivalent of 100 times the water level in Sydney Harbor every year.

Many believe that the time to reverse these damaging effects of climate change has long since passed. But that shouldn’t be reason to stop trying.

The divisive and often contentious debate over climate change, based primarily on hard-line political ideologies, stands squarely in the way of taking advantage of opportunities in the Arctic region.

The United States is the only country among the eight members of the Arctic Council that has not ratified the Law of the Sea Convention, leaving the U.S. literally out in the cold when it comes to laying claim to the vast natural resources and economic opportunities in the Arctic Circle.

And given the deep political divide in Washington, it is unlikely the Senate will take any steps in ratifying the accord during the next two years.

That’s our opinion. We’d like to hear yours. Email us at letters@norwichbulletin.com.