Cruise ship makes historic voyage in melting Arctic

UBC political scientist and Arctic expert Michael Byers was quoted in an Associated Press article on Crystal Serenity’s Arctic voyage through the Northwest Passage. This sea route connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans through the Arctic Ocean and until recently pack ice has prevented regular marine shipping through the area. But sea ice melting now allows cruise ships to go up Bering Straight, head east toward Greenland and dock in New York City.

“By actually taking advantage of climate change, [Crystal Serenity]’s contributing to the problem because the ship has a very large carbon footprint of its own,” Byers said.

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