Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has praised the effects of global warming for cutting the time it takes to trade between Asia and the west, during a speech before an international group.

Mr Pompeo said during his speech before the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Finland on Wednesday that melting Arctic ice caps present “new opportunities for trade”, but did not discuss the dangers scientists say climate change presents for the world’s population.

“Steady reductions in sea ice are opening new passageways and new opportunities for trade,” Mr Pompeo said. “This could potentially slash the time it takes to travel between Asia and e West by as much as 20 days. Arctic sea lanes could come before — could [become] the 21st Century Suez and Panama Canals.”

He continued: “And its centre piece, the Arctic Ocean, is rapidly taking on new strategic significance. Offshore resources, which are helping the respective coastal states, are the subject of renewed competition.”

The comments came after news broke that the US had sought to remove references of climate change from a joint statement with the Arctic Council, and as new reports have warned of the dire threats posed by global warming caused by greenhouse gasses.

Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Show all 9 1 /9 Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Gentoo penguins on Ardley Island, Antarctic, where global warming has affected the glaciers that the penguins live on and has brought new species to compete with AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Gentoo penguins on Ardley Island, Antarctic, where global warming has affected the glaciers that the penguins live on and has brought new species to compete with AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Gentoo penguins in Cuverville Island, designated as an Important Bird Island. These penguins feed on krill but krill is growing scarcer due to climate change AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Penguins on Ardley Island, Antarctic, where global warming has affected the glaciers that the penguins live on and has brought new species to compete with AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Gentoo penguins in Cuverville Island, designated as an Important Bird Island. These penguins feed on krill but krill is growing scarcer due to climate change AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Chinstrap penguins on King George Island. Global warming has affected the glaciers that the penguins live on and has brought new species to compete with AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Gentoo penguins in Cuverville Island, designated as an Important Bird Island. These penguins feed on krill but krill is growing scarcer due to climate change AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change A penguin and a seal. Global warming has affected the glaciers that these animals live on and has brought new species to compete with AFP/Getty Penguin habitats threatened by climate change Gentoo penguins on Ardley Island, Antarctic, where global warming has affected the glaciers that the penguins live on and has brought new species to compete with AFP/Getty

Among those risks are reduced Arctic ice volume, which leads to desalination of the world's oceans, and to rising sea levels.

Other concerns are newly printed data showing that Arctic ice is at record low levels, and that the Arctic has lost 95 per cent of its oldest ice to global warming in recent decades, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Centre.

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