Antarctica Flashcards
Where is Antarctica located?
Southern continent in the world, containing the South Pole and 14 million km sqaured
What is the climate and environment like in Antarctica
- Coldest planet on Earth, with temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius
- Receives 400mm - 600mm of precipitation a year
- Winds in Antarctica are 60-70 mph
- Southern Ocean has lots of marine
What are natural resources in Antarcitca?
- Antarctica has lots of fossil fuels
- Large reserves of oil in the Southern Ocean
Why is Antarcitca vulnerable?
- Antarctica is vulnerable due to the demand of resources
- The climate is fragile and adapted to the environment, meaning a change is devastating to the ecosystem
- Antarctica is vulnerable to climate change, meaning the global commons should consider Co2 emissions and global warming
What are the threats to Antarctica?
- Climate change
- Fishing and whaling
- Mining
- Tourism and scientific research
Why is climate change a threat to Antarctica?
- Warmer sea and atmospheric temperatures melt ice sheets, causing sea levels to rise, causing flooding.
- Animals and plants have declined due to warmer temperatures. This affects the food chain.
- Co2 released into the atmosphere stored in ice sheets, causing high global temperatures, enhancing global warming.
- Albedo effect - ice reflects solar radiation back to the atmosphere is reduced with less ice sheets, more heat absorbed by oceans. This causes temperatures to rise, positive feedback loop.
Why is fishing and whaling a threat to Antarctica?
- Unsustainable fishing disrupts tje food chain by removing krill. Krill is the most fished with 150-200,000 tonnes fished annually
- Whaling - Whaling began in the 18th century, with bans on whaling, but a declining whale population leading to long-term damage.
What does sustainable mean?
Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Why is mining a threat to Antarctica?
- Oil exploitation disrupts habitats through drilling and pipelines
- Oil spills, as the ecosystem cannot remove oil quickly, causing long term damage
- Mineral exploitation through mining, affecting wildlife
- Fossil fuels contribute to global warming
Why is tourism and scientific research a threat to Antarctica?
- Tourism is a growing industry due to the demand. Over 37,000 tourists visit Antarctica by air and sea, threatening Antarctica by ships by fossil fuels
- Less sea ice and more cruise shiops affect the environment
- Tourists scare wildlife. They disrupt the food chain
- Scientific research brings equipment and facilities
How is Antarctica governed?
- UN
- International whaling commision (IWC)
How does the UN govern Antarctica?
- UN is important in protecting Antarctica through laws and regulations
- The UN has little protection of Antarctica
- UN organisation with Antarctica is the UN environment programme (UNEP). The organisation has little impact. UNEP attends ATP meetings, but the goals leave out Antarctica
What is the international whaling commission (IWC)?
- Set up under the international convention for the regulation of whaling in 1946.
- The IWC enforces regulations with 86 member states; all regulations over whaling in the Southern Ocean.
What is the role of the IWC?
- Set ‘Catch limits’ to regulate whaling
- Scientific committee to research whaling
- Conservation work through meetings
What is an example of the IWC?
- Introduced the whaling moratorium in 1982, banning all commercial whaling. Norway and Iceland cotinued whaling allowed by IWC
- The IWC’s scientific committee created the revised management procedure for catch limits using research
- In 1994, a Southern Ocean whale sanctuary was made, banning all commercial whaling in the area
- International observer scheme, allowing countries to observe other countries to make sure they are following IWC regulations
What were some issues with the IWC?
- Member states choose freely to join the IWC, or opt out.
- Japan opted out in 2018
- Countries can object IWC’s regulations, such as Norway and Iceland who still whale, even with catch limits
- Countries exploit loopholes in regulations, leading to issues for IWC
- For example, Japan continued commercial whaling in Antarctica for ‘scientific research’. Japan left the IWC, meaning the IWC is ineffective
What are the three main agreements in Antarctica?
- Antarctic treaty system (ATS)
- The protocol on environmental protection to the Antarctic treaty
- Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources
What is the Antarctic treaty system?
Collection of agreements to protect Antarctica through global governance
What is the role of the Antarctic treaty system?
- 53 parties
- Treaty used for peace
- Antarctica used for scientific research
- Stations are inspected
- Antarctica is a global commons
What were some issues with the Antarctic treaty system?
- Treaty is not mandatory
- Inspections are not often
- All decisions are unanimous
What is the protocol on environmental protection to the Antarctic treaty?
- Bans all activities relating to mineral resurces. No mining.
- Committee for environmental protection.
- Add regulations from the treaty. Includes waste management and marine pollution.
What is the Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources?
- Treaty in 1980 to protect marine life, including krill
- Commission on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources was made. Meet annually.
- Scientific committee
- CCAMLR research, monitor, and conserve the Southern Ocean, such as commercial whaling
What are influences of NGO’s on Antarctic governance?
Antarctic and Southern Ocean coalition (ASOC) formed in1978 after negotiations between parties in the Antarctic treaty such as mineral exploitation
What is the purpose of NGO’s in Antarctica?
- Convince governments to prevent mineral exploitation and allow NGO’s to participate in governance of Antarctica
- ASOC had observer status in 1981, meaning the organisation can attend meetings for the Antarctic treaty system
