Posthuman Blues

Senate Votes to Allow Underwater Drilling in the Arctic

"The problem: thanks to accelerating climate change, much of the arctic refuge is now under water. According to an eight-nation report put together by 250 scientists, warmer temperatures have caused the Arctic ice cap to shrink by as much as 20%, eroding the habitat of polar bears, sending Inuit hunters plummeting through the ice and leaving huge swathes of the region under water."

However...

"But for these endangered animals, say some drilling proponents, the arrival of offshore drilling rigs may come as something of a reprieve. 'These rigs have a lot of surface area, some of which could even take the place of the melted habitat,' says Dr. John Rodgers, founder of Arctic Watch, an organization of scientists who favor Arctic drilling. 'Some of these species were out of here. Now with the semi-submersible rigs, they've got a future too.'" (Via Busy, Busy, Busy.)

I want to know what happens when the oil people want their rigs back. And has it occurred to anyone that "surface area" is not the equivalent of "habitat"? Sure, polar bears have a future, but it's not looking too bright.