. >> more than a thousand miles south of the arctic, admiral robert papp is speaking at the us coast guard academy in new london, connecticut. >> and, what concerns me is that we don't fall behind on meeting this challenge - especially when we see other arctic nations-including our partners-surging forward and expanding their arctic capabilities. >> here, at the first 'leadership for the arctic' conference military officials, bureaucrats, lawyers, environmentalists and oil and mining industry executives have gathered to discuss, and perhaps eventually shape arctic policy. >> but even if we stopped greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, we will continue to have this governance question before us. >> we've got a lot of work to do to be prepared, and to be able to respond to all of the events that could possibly take place in the arctic. >> for centuries we struggled how to make demarcation of this boundary, it was done under pressure of oil industry. >> in the next 40 years energy needs in the world will double. >> peter slaiby is the vice president of shell alaska. shell has long been pus

his words are echoed by former coast guard commandant, admiral robert papp jr. who's now the u.s. special representative to the arctic region. it's his job to help manage risk in this remote but increasingly accessible region of the world. and he had this to say about the disruptions of the arctic climate. "i'm not a scientist but i can read what scientists say. i'm in the world of consequence management. my first turn in alaska was 39 years ago and during the summertime, we had to break ice to get up to the beren strait and to kotzebue. 39 years later flying up there we flew into kotzebue at the same time of year and i could not see ice anywhere. to it is clear to me there are changes happening. but i have i have to deal with the consequences of that." last weekend secretary kerry headed to the canadian city of ekaloquit to assume the chair on the arctic council on behalf of the united states. it's a forum for arctic nations to work together to secure a sustainable arctic future. secretary kerry made it clear that climate disruption would be a focus for america's chairmanship say