Passage: The Arctic's vast reserves of fossil fuel, fish and minerals are now accessible for a longer period in a year. But unlike Antarctica, which is protected from exploitation by the Antarctic Treaty framed during the Cold War and is not subject to territorial claims by any country, there is no legal regime protecting the Arctic from industrialization, especially at a time when the world craves for more and more resources. The distinct possibility of ice-free summer has prompted countries with Arctic coastline to scramble for great chunks of the melting ocean.

Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?

Question

Passage: The Arctic's vast reserves of fossil fuel, fish and minerals are now accessible for a longer period in a year. But unlike Antarctica, which is protected from exploitation by the Antarctic Treaty framed during the Cold War and is not subject to territorial claims by any country, there is no legal regime protecting the Arctic from industrialization, especially at a time when the world craves for more and more resources. The distinct possibility of ice-free summer has prompted countries with Arctic coastline to scramble for great chunks of the melting ocean.

Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: Melting of summer ice in the Arctic leads to changes in the geopolitics. The passage highlights that the Arctic, unlike Antarctica, lacks a legal regime preventing industrial exploitation and territorial claims. As summer ice melts, countries with Arctic coastlines are actively scrambling to claim portions of the ocean to access its vast reserves of fossil fuels, fish, and minerals. This scramble directly points to shifting geopolitical dynamics and territorial competition in the region due to environmental changes. Therefore, option B is the most direct and logical implication. Option A is incorrect as India does not have an Arctic coastline and cannot make territorial claims. Option C is an overgeneralization, as the passage does not claim that the Arctic will completely solve the world's resource crunch. Option D is incorrect because the passage merely states that Antarctica is protected, without comparing the absolute volume of resources between the two regions.

Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?

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