The issue of who first stood at the North Pole has never been fully settled. Today, the issues of who controls the incredibly valuable Northwest Passage and the resources on the Artic Ocean floor, and who manages and preserves the lands and skies in the 8 nations surrounding the pole, has also not been settled. There's not much at stake - just the fate of millions and the health of the planet.

A vast increase in mollusks and other crustaceans could be a part of the solution to global warming, as they soak up and sequester carbon and nitrogen while deacidifying the oceans. As both the atmosphere and the seas are near CO2 capacity, anything that will foster carbon sequestration while allowing the ocean to absorb more is welcome. An inexpensive and abundant mineral called olivine may help speed up the process and tests are currently underway on at least one Caribbean beach.

Hundreds of millions are expected to become refugees as flooding and inundation assail cities and coastlines around the globe. But it's not just homes. Infrastructure - schools, railways, causeways, airports, highways, and more - will need significant structural changes. It is time to come to close grips with - and plan for - this reality.