The Threat To Antarctica
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 | Travel and Leisure
Antarctica is the coldest and most desolate of all the regions of the planet. Antarctica is the only place that all nations agreed should be shared. However the realization by many nations that their resources may eventually run out has led many to look at Antarctica as a future source.
The great potential of the region in terms of iron, coal and oil has moved the focus away from protection and conservation towards a focus based on exploitation. There is real concern that the region may suffer as international scientific research is replaced by more nationalistic mineral exploitation which could lead to confrontation.
The sharing between different nations and the pleasant cooperative atmosphere present at places such as the main U.S Antarctic base have been spoken of on many occasions by the scientists that are based there. Some believe that the high level of cooperation is due to the hostility of the environment around them and also the common passion they have for their scientific studies. antarctic cruise
The National Science Foundation McMurdo headquarters of the National Science Foundation which runs the U.S. Antarctic operations has a small park next to it which is dedicated to the idealistic dream of Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd. Admiral Byrd led five Antarctic expeditions and was the first man to fly over the South Pole. Admiral Byrd believed that the Antarctic could be a regional of unprecedented cooperation between different nations for the goal of international research. But are such noble ideas likely to remain as the world becomes more dependent on the Earth’s minerals and the need for energy increases?
There is little known about the Antarctic’s mineral deposits but there is now growing interest. The situation has changed from being a scientific issue to a political one. Virgin oil reserves and precious mineral resources are believed to exist in large quantities under the deep frozen treacherous land and dangerous seas.antarctica vacations
Considerable quantities of oil reserves and minerals have been found in continents that resemble Antarctica geologically. Small-scale scientific core drilling by the United States hints at possible hydrocarbon deposits offshore. The presence of large amounts of coal inland is already certain, along with concentrations of metal deposits which include lead, copper, nickel, uranium, gold, titanium, tin and chromium.
Until now the extreme nature of the environment has made the exploitation of the Antarctic an expensive and impossible task. The rising prices of natural resources has made governments look again now that new technology is available, and Antarctic scientists and environmentalists are very worried.
The Antarctic is just one of a small number of regions that remain unspoilt and unpolluted on the Earth and this has raised concern amongst environmentalists worldwide. Environmental organizations including the International Institute for Environment and Development and the Sierra Club have seen the inevitable approaching conflict between the commercial interests and the environment.
Both believe that exploration of the mineral deposits is needed to see what is actually there but that there must be studies carried out to assess the environmental impacts. There is the concern however that the fact finding studies will cause the exploitation. Oil is the biggest worry because of the chances of a spill. A lot of the animal life present in the Antarctic, such as seals and birds, is located by the coast and may be heavily affected. A spill in the region may cause more damage than in any other region because colder climates cause oil to break up and degrade at a slower rate.
Most of what goes on in, and about, Antarctica is tied to a landmark 1959 treaty that set the continent aside as a scientific preserve. 12 nations were originally involved with the signing of the treaty, later Poland joined and together they ensure that the region remains free of militarization and that no nuclear waste dumping takes place. All cases of territory claims that overlap have been side stepped by the 1959 treaty. Countries including Great Britain, Argentina, France, Australia, Norway, Chile and New Zealand all claim land within Antarctica.
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