Whaling in the shadow of oil
See also
Point Hope. Alaska, U.S.
Point Hope is located on the western coast of Alaska on the edge of the Chukchi sea, just south of lease 193 where oil giant Shell hope to extract oil to the value of $2.4 trillion. Point Hope's tribal government backed by a group of 12 environmental organisations have led the opposition against Shell. The city is becoming increasingly split over the issue, as gifts and promises of jobs from oil companies seep in.
Stranded Bears. Alaska, U.S.
As the Arctic sea ice retreats over 700 miles from the shore in the autumn, bears must either head north or swim south to land as the ice breaks up. The amount of polar bears coming to land is increasing but scientists are still unsure of the single cause. In recent years, bears have spent a longer period onshore, during which they are cut off from their natural seal prey and scientists anticipate that the number of bears onshore may increase as sea ice loss continues.
The Nenets of Yamal Peninsula. Russia.
The nomadic Nenets tribes of the Yamal Peninsula have retained their traditional culture and simple way of life for over a thousand years. Surviving Stalinist Russia and the interests of the gas drilling company Gazprom they now face a new threat, climate change. The permafrost landscape they have survived on is now beginning to dramatically thaw.
