Antarctica 20 MARKER EXAMPLE

Question 1

“The impact of changing carbon budgets is a much greater threat to Antarctica than the impact of tourism, fishing or whaling” to what extent do you agree with this statement?

Answer 1

Plan 20 Marker

Question 2

Introduction:

Answer 2

The carbon budget is a global issue that every country contributes to.
Antarctica being a place of polar extremes is a fragile system meaning the slightest change in the environment can lead to massive impacts
While there are global threats that affect Antarctica such as the changing carbon budget
Impacts can also occur on a local scale such as the effects that tourism, fishing or whaling have on the environment.

Question 3

Impact of tourism:

Answer 3

Tourism is Antarctica poses a major threat to both the wildlife and environment. As adventure holidays increase in popularity and decrease in price these luxury holidays are becoming far more popular
With 46000 people visiting Antarctica during the years of 2006 - 2007 the effects of tourism can have drastic impacts
However being on such a local scale the affects of tourism can be managed for example guide lines have been put in place allowing only a certain number of people each year to visit.

Question 4

Impact of fishing?

Answer 4

Likewise the explosive nature of fishing and whaling was once a great threat to Antarctica’s fragile environment
Since the continents discovery countries such as Britain the USA and Norway have been exploring Antarctica’s wildlife through fishing and whaling. Whaling to get bones and oil.
This exploitation of wildlife lead to the banning of commercial whaling in the last quarter of the 20th century extending the Antarctic Treaty that was first created in 1948.

Question 5

Impacts of the carbon budget?

Answer 5

By far the biggest threat to Antarctica is the changing carbon budget and global warming.
This is because the affects of global warming are not on a local scale but an international scale with every country on the globe contributing to the increasing carbon in the atmosphere
Attempts to reduce the global carbon emissions have been attempted for example the Kyoto protocol
However newly emerging economies such as China are releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than ever before
On top of this the breakdown of the Paris agreement with the USA refusing to commit means that the future of Antarctica is uncertain.

Question 6

Additional Factors?

Answer 6

On top of this the rise in temperature are causing ice shelves in the Antarctic to melt
Not only does this cause significant rise in sea level but also when the fresh water from the ice mixes with the sale water it can cause the ph levels to change meaning species like the Antarctic krill are unable to reproduce which is also bad.

Question 7

CONCLUSION- MUST REMEMBER CONCLUSION and ANSWER THE QUESTION specifically within the conclusion:

Answer 7

Antarctica has nongovernment to manage its affairs, it is not a nation state. The lack of sovereignty is why the Antarctic Treaty is so important as it aims to guarantee free access and research rights to all countries
Immediate local challenges can be managed
However climate change poses much more is a threat in the long term and with the emerging industrial power of India and China, alongside the incumbent US government, these threat are only set to worsen.