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Taking Over The Planet
The human race is slowly reaching total domination of this planet, as there is a difference between domination and total domination. While we already cover a few patches of this planet, there still seems to be too much nature around. And what has nature done for us, besides ensuring pain and suffering? Suggested by our apparent behaviour, and illustrated by the decisions we make in regards to development.
A proposal to build a tunnel from Russia to Alaska, will mean a far more radical change to the environment of Alaska, than most can currently envision. And I'm not only referring to the destruction of natural habitat. Having a direct link connecting the two continents, will radically change the economic significance of Alaska from a relative unimportant state to a power house.
Environmental concerns are going to be drowned by the calls for jobs, energy, and development. And I'm certain, that lessons learnt from past mistakes will surely be forgotten and repressed, as cost reduction is what drives profits, and profits drive social change.
Further drilling for oil in Alaska might have been stopped by the US Senate in 2005, but as all involved knew and know, that wasn't the last we were going to hear of such an enterprise. Too tempting are the siren calls of profit. Sustainable development takes time. More than elected officials have to ensure re-election. With the majority of us humans solely concerned with survival, especially at a comfort level regarded as common in the collective, the electorate will rather follow the "we need jobs and economic prosperity" argument. "We need to live in harmony with our environment" is just not sufficiently compelling, leaving an impression of putting nature before humans. And as a species we are determined to ensure our short term existence only. The future will be taken care of by adaptation and developmental progress. Which is not a belief, nor knowledge gained through experience, but our primal instinct.
Current concern for the environment, is nothing but a "global warming fashion". It will pass by, just as every other guilt driven polit-fashion has.