In many ways the Arctic has been a region of international cooperation, especially in the sciences. Could the far north (or a portion of it) follow a path like Antarctica, and become a zone in which countries agree that scientific collaboration is the top priority? Or are we doomed to a future of territorial competition as the sea ice melts? This gets into the possibility of military conflict but doesn’t put it quite so much in the center of the conversation.

We also talk about development versus conservation: The Arctic is home to some amazing wildlife and as-yet undamaged ecosystems. But as people in Montana sometimes say, “you can’t eat the view.” Meaning, preservation of wildlife and wild places can in some cases make it hard for local people to earn a living. As industries move north the tension between economic development and conservation of land, water, air and creatures is increasing.

In this final episode for the first season we talk about future Arctic Dreams - and Nightmares.