Antarctica

Question 1

threats to antartica

Answer 1

climate change
exploitation of minerals
overfishing
tourism
scientific research (waste management)

Question 2

background

Answer 2

-60°S latitude
14 million km² with 98% ice
convergence - warm antarctic waters to cold northern waters
ronne and ross ice shelves
70% all freshwater found here

Question 3

why is it vulnerable as a global common

Answer 3

fragile unique ecosystem with even a footprint being present in the ecosystem for years to come
demand for minerals is ever increasing and has potential to act as a resource frontier

Question 4

TRADEGY OF THE COMMONS

Answer 4

as everyone has access to resource, demand exceeds supply so the resource becomes unavailable

Question 5

time line of governing dates

Answer 5

1946 IWC 1982 Moratorium
1959 ATS
1991 Protocol on Environment Protection (POEP), enforced 1998

Question 6

negatives of tourism

Answer 6

In 2007 cruise ship MS Explorer hit an iceberg and sank off the South Shetland Islands in the Southern Ocean.

This brings in the uncertainty that such an event will continue to happen if Antarctica is continuously exploited/exposed for tourism as risk will increase - oil spill which would be devastating for marine environment

but the organisation that runs tourism (IAATO) says 95% of the sites are undamaged and tourism is financially exclusive and people are aware of environmental impact they have

Question 7

the role of NGO

> ASOC Antartic and Southern Ocean Coalition

Answer 7

ASOC- 1978
protect the Antarctic environment specifically marine.
they put pressure on government and wanted to be apart of decision making- success as granted OBSERVER status in 1991 and helped to create POEP and could attend ATS meetings
spread public awareness by leaking meetings and campaigns in 1980 meant that France and Australia chose NOT to ratify for mineral extraction - must be unanimous decision so plans fell apart- huge success delaying

however, only a ngo so has little direct impact on governing as they have no authority over established bodies.

Question 8

sustainabiltiy

Answer 8

short term- yes the past shows us that ATS works, peaceful cooperation but POEP until 2048
after that it is uncertain - ratification of countries unclear, threats are continually present

sustainable in tourism but not fishing..

Question 9

the IWC

Answer 9

1946 made for proper conservation of whales
1982 moratorium to ban commercial whaling
Southern ocean observatory created to protect mother’s and calves and hopefully sustain the remaining populations

Only 89 member states and voluntary org. No enforcement (Japan 2018) and Russia have not ratified (but so far no action taken)

Question 10

the ATS

Answer 10

1959 to keep Antarctica as a peaceful place prohibiting use if weapons, waste and only for science
Only 53 members but only 29 can contribute to decision making (as they do research)
2 yearly meetings, must be unanimous

any member can accede to it (currently 80% population represented) minimising such inequalities

1991 Poep adding to the ATS to ban mineral extraction

Question 11

negatives of overfishing

Answer 11

80% of worlds krill is from Antarctica

sustainable in Antarctica due to work by IWC and ASOC but globally
> japan leaving, Norway and Iceland

Question 12

climate facts

Answer 12

400mm year
-49 degrees c
60-70 mph winds
>extreme hostile environment