So, Chilean police have arrested a truck driver with 5 tonnes of “endangered” glacier ice.
My first thoughts were of the tragic irony: poor people worsening an environmental catastrophe (glacier degradation) probably to mitigate its effects (droughts) in what affordable way they could conceive (theft in response to water supply being privatized). Then the denial forecast kicked in: Climate change “skeptics” will now be wittily and/or insanely claiming glaciers aren’t melting, they are getting stolen. Al Gore probably the kingpin of the glacier mafia.
Most news reports have been aiming for cheap jokes so far:
- MSNBC / Glacier theft suspects on thin ice with Chilean police
- RT / On the rocks behind the bars
- The Guardian / Glacier thief arrested in Chile
“Sceptics have cited other explanations [than global warming] for retreating glaciers, but theft – until now – was not one of them. It may be the only case in which both sides agree human activity was to blame.”
Ha, ha. For a short, factual article with pictures of the actual loot see The Telegraph / Police investigate glaciar theft. It appears to be speculation, but several articles report a plot to sell the 1000+ years old ice for fancy drinks. What is certain is now the ice will be used to mitigate drought stricken farms.
