Week 6 Evdokia Wise

There are many profound changes occurring in the sphere of Arctic shipping and transportation due to climate change and increasing interest in the Arctic. I had previously learned about Arctic shipping and increased access to routes and commercial opportunities, but this week was my first time reading about the new potential for tourism in the Arctic. For this reason I found it to be the most interesting part of the readings. The descriptions of new, high-tech vessels that are set to cruise the Arctic in the next few years were shocking as well as the possible ill effects of these incursions. The fact that the maritime Arctic ecosystem that has been protected for centuries by sea ice means that it has never had to contend with gray water disposal, intense noise, and exposure to hundreds of people on its shores and waters. Already endangered animals and the ecosystems that they are a part of would suffer even more as a positive feedback of the climate change rocking their lives. The fact that the influx of tourists would require a lot of infrastructure in coastal communities is also a concern and one of the articles stated that cruise vessels do not actually bring a lot of revenue to places they pass by. So communities would possibly suffer more adverse effects in terms of people and pollution pressures than benefits to the economy. For example, many polar communities have limited access to things like groceries and healthcare and incoming tourists could clear shelves and bring viruses to community residents. However, if responsibly managed, Arctic cruises could open up new revenue and opportunities for communities and people living in the North.