Will the cold environments of the world be next to be destroyed and used if not what are we going to do so for the benefit of the future generations and the protection of the Antarctic continent.
I will find out whether Antarctica needs protecting by splitting this project into 4 different sections which will be:
- To explain why Antarctica needs to be protected
- To analyse the background of the countries which claim parts of Antarctica
- To consider different views on the use of Antarctica
- To find out what has been done in the past to protect Antarctica and suggest what the future of Antarctica might be
3 Maps of Antarctica:
A graph to show Annual Temperature of the South Pole:
There are many threats to Antarctica such as:
- A uncontrolled number of tourists
- Over fishing
- Ozone
- Mineral Deposits
The ozone layer and the ozone hole that allows too much harmful ultra violet light to get through the earth's atmosphere over the south pole during the spring. This is caused by the pumping into the atmosphere of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the industrialized world over a long time period.
The ozone hole is the best known example of pollutants that are produced in one place, but have their effects in another. As Antarctica is one of the cleanest, least polluted places on earth it is an ideal location for measuring the spread of global pollutants. Minute traces of man-made chemicals used in other parts of the world can be detected in the snow that falls over the region. They become concentrated in the bodies of local wildlife such as seals and penguins.
Antarctica is often thought of as a pristine land untouched by human disturbance. Unfortunately this isn’t the case. For more than a hundred years people have been travelling to Antarctica and in that short time most parts have been visited and what’s been left has been more than just footprints. People have driven some Antarctic species to the verge of extinction for economic benefit, killed and disturbed other species, contaminated the soils, discharged sewage to the sea and left rubbish, cairns and tracks in even the most remote parts. More recently attitudes have changed as people have begun to realise that there are a few unvisited places left on earth and that they are of enormous value to humanity. The clean air, water and ice of Antarctica are now of global importance to science for understanding how the Earth's environment is changing both naturally and as a result of human activity. Tourist operators are beginning to tap the huge demand to visit the last great wilderness on Earth. Contrary to popular belief both science and tourism have the potential to damage the very qualities that draw them to Antarctica.
Antarctica is important for understanding the global impacts of the industrial world for a number of reasons. Global change may have bad effects that impact directly on the Antarctic environment. For example global warming may contribute to break-up of large areas of ice-shelf and cause loss of habitat for animals’ dependent on the ice-shelf; increasing UV radiation may cause changes to phytoplankton communities and could have effects up the food chain. Global change may also bring about changes in the Antarctic that could have serious environmental consequences elsewhere in the world, for example changes in the amount of water locked up in Antarctic ice may contribute to global sea level change. Finally, the Antarctic region is a sensitive indicator of global change. The polar ice cap holds within it a record of past atmospheres that go back tens or even hundreds of thousands of years, allowing study of the earth's natural climate cycles against which the significance of recent changes can be judged.
Background Information
A map showing the location of each of the countries laying claim to Antarctica:
Development data for the 7 countries that lay claim to Antarctica:
Donut Graph to show GDP per Capita comparison of the 7 countries laying claim to Antarctica:
The map shows that the countries in the following order largest to smallest have claim:
- Australia
- Norway
- Chile
- Argentina
- New Zealand
- UK
- French
However the GDP of each country largest to smallest is in the following order:
- Norway
- France
- Australia
- UK
- New Zealand
- Argentina
- Chile
This order is vastly different to the size of the claim each country has especially with France having 2nd highest GDP but having the smallest claim over Antarctica.
The order has been decided by the amount of scientists from each country visiting and exploring the Antarctic, which I think is fair – the more they have explored the more claim they get.
Each country wants a greater claim because they are very keen to use its resources. Antarctica has lots of natural resources that the country are keen to exploit, it has:
- Fish (Fishing)
- Animals (Scientists want to observe, how differently the animals in the Antarctic behave compared to others)
- Natural minerals (there is a good source of coal and ore etc in Antarctica)
- People want to visit (benefits the country’s tourism)
So the bigger the claim the better the country’s economy will be (if the country can manage its claim).
Viewpoints
Many people have different viewpoints on how Antarctica should be used.
The following groups of people have things to say about Antarctica:
Fisherman – They say that Antarctica should be used to its full limit and that they should not be restricted to fishing a limited stock in limited space.
These people are for the use of Antarctica
Environmentalists – They say that Antarctica should conserved and protected as it is the last great wilderness of the Earth, and destroying it with tourism and fishing would be a foolish idea.
These people are against the use of Antarctica.
Scientists – They say that they need to explore Antarctica to investigate the species behaviours and the how the worlds fumes have affected a distant continent like Antarctica, they also say that tourism and fishing are getting in the way of their exploration.
These people are for the use of Antarctica but only for themselves.
Tourism companies – They say that Antarctica is completely different to other holidays and they should allow more and more people to visit the Antarctic.
These people are for the use of Antarctica.
There are lots of different people who have different viewpoints of Antarctica and it uses. They all have valid reasons for their uses and non uses, they only good way that they will be able to sort out their differences is by allocating different plots of land for their each groups of peoples purposes.
The Future
Antarctica is protected and conserved by several treaties and policy’s that the nations laying claim to Antarctica have adopted.
The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was adopted in 1991 by the Antarctic Treaty nations. It provides for the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment, and sets out tightly drawn rules governing human activities there. The most important obligations the Protocol imposes are:
- Antarctica is designated as a "natural reserve devoted to peace and science"
- Mineral activities are prohibited for at least 50 years, except for scientific minerals research
- All activities are to be conducted so as to limit adverse environmental impacts
A group or company called the Sierra Club want to explore, enjoy and protect the planet, they want this for Antarctica also, so they have made a list of what they want to do and what Antarctica does:
- Existing management for living resources of the Antarctic region comprises a confusing array of domestic and international law, regulations and commissions together with the traditional freedoms of the high seas,
- Interest in projected hydrocarbon resources of the Antarctic continental shelf has led to a consideration of mineral resource regimes by the contracting parties to the Antarctic Treaty,
- Scientists agree that the simple ecological structure of the Antarctic region is extremely vulnerable to disturbance,
- Relatively moderate changes in the abundance of particular forms of life could easily destabilize conditions for others, and recovery from such destabilization or degradation would be very slow,
-
Antarctica is known to play an important role in the formation of weather and climatic conditions over half the globe,
- There are scientists who fear that human disturbances in polar regions - perhaps resulting from petroleum or mineral resource exploitation -- might cause serious changes in the global climate, [and]
- Despite the fragile nature of the Antarctic environment, its importance for southern hemisphere climate and weather, and its unique collection of flora and fauna, there is no assurance that adequate environmental protection will be maintained.
So they have tried to put the following policies in to place to protect the fragile environment of Antarctica:
- Setting aside forever areas of land and water large enough to protect ecosystems of unique biological significance and natural beauty.
- Ratification by the United States of the Agreed Measures for Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora.
- A ban on harvesting of living resources except for scientific purposes, until a management arrangement is developed, based on an assessment of its effect on the total Southern Ocean ecosystem. Exploitation under existing agreements (e.g., Antarctic Seal Convention and the International Whaling Commission whaling quotas) should be included in determining this assessment.
- The continued agreement under the Antarctic Treaty prohibiting the disposal of radioactive wastes. Extension of the prohibition to include any highly toxic or long-lasting wastes.
- The continued agreement under the Antarctic Treaty prohibiting all military activities.
- Strengthened and continued strict control of all scientific research and an open exchange of information.
- Limited tourism and its careful management so as to avoid pollution and damage to the Antarctic environment.
- Increased public participation in the decision- making process on Antarctica, including the establishment of an advisory committee on which environmental interests are represented.
I think the Antarctic should be used in an efficient, protective manor in which people can enjoy it. For this to happen the countries that are laying claim to Antarctica should let go of their claim and share Antarctica as one whole continent, a bit like the EU. Once this has been done sections of Antarctica should cordoned off for different purposes e.g. 1/8 for tourism, 1/4 for viable fishing.
