Brin said that Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) is now trying to make the controversial arrangement work before deciding whether to reverse course.
The warmth in the Arctic that this arrangement has brought may diminish the regeneration of sea ice over the course of this winter, meaning that next summer's sun can push back the boundaries further.
This is why nations such as France have been pushing this scheme, of course, and why left-wing academics have long dreamed of this type of arrangement.