Harvesting Icebergs and Space Rocks: Small Scale Resource Extraction Entrepreneurship in Areas Beyond National Jurisdictions

Abstract

New opportunities for small-scale, but potentially highly profitable, extractive industries either arise or have the potential to grow, both in the Arctic and in outer space. In the Arctic, icebergs which have broken off from Greenland’s glaciers and which have been transported south through the Davis Strait by the water currents are being harvested off the coast of Canada. The perceived purity of the water and the exotic origin make this risky endeavor commercially interesting. Iceberg harvesting has been undertaken for some time and is likely to become more important: along with increased melting of Greenland’s ice sheet and calving into icebergs, also the Arctic sea ice is melting rapidly due to climate change. Icebergs are an attraction in cruise tourism, too, but also pose threats particularly in the uninhabited sea routes where rescue preparedness is low and distances to help are long. Also Arcticrelated products and services are gaining the attention of consumers and investors from outside the region, in particular when high-priced luxury items and services are concerned. It therefore seems a fair assumption that iceberg harvesting off the coast of Canada is likely to remain relevant for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, outer space is becoming the latest frontier for extractive industries, not only for the minerals and metals found on celestial bodies but also regarding water and materials which will be needed to give human activities there some degree of permanence.