The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
May 7, 2019

Pompeo: Reduction of Arctic Sea Ice Opens Up "Opportunities for Trade"
----------------------------------------------------------------------

While at the Arctic Council meetings, Pompeo celebrated the shrinking
levels of sea ice in the region, saying it opened up new opportunities
for trade. He also called for the exploitation of natural resources in
the Arctic.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: "The Arctic is at the forefront of
opportunity and abundance. It houses 13 percent of the world's
undiscovered oil, 30 percent of its undiscovered gas, and an abundance
of uranium, rare earth minerals, gold, diamonds, and millions of square
miles of untapped resources. […] Steady reductions in sea ice are
opening new passageways and new opportunities for trade."

Pompeo added that "Arctic sea lanes could become the 21st century Suez
and Panama Canals." Scientists warn that melting sea ice in the Arctic
due to climate change will have catastrophic effects on coastal cities,
biodiversity and the global economy. President Trump has called climate
change a "Chinese hoax."

Mike Pompeo was scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
in Berlin today after leaving the Arctic Council gathering. However, the
U.S. State Department announced the meeting had been canceled due to
"pressing issues." No further details have been made available.


.