ABSTRACT
Over the past decade, Arctic resource development is often discussed as being directly related to climate change. One of the past advantages of the Arctic region in terms of resource production was relative stability of weather systems. The state of the global economy is the single most important driving factor for increased attention to the Arctic. The greatest economic impact of climate change in the Arctic “is likely to stem from decreases in ice thickness and bearing capacity, which could severely restrict the size and load limit of vehicular traffic”. In 2008 a Canadian consulting contract from the David Suzuki Foundation undertook to survey the mining industry on their perceptions of climate change and its impact on mining. In the long term, climate change may lead to more Arctic resource development but in the short term it is more likely to be a barrier.
