Antarctica and Global Commons

Question 1

What are global commons?

Answer 1

resource domains or areas
that lie outside of the political reach of any one nation
state.

Question 2

What are 4 global commons?

Answer 2

● the high seas
● the atmosphere
● Antarctica
● outer space

Question 3

How does international law view global commons?

Answer 3

a. it is the common heritage of mankind principle b. it should be distributed equally for the benefit of everyone

Question 4

Why it was easier to protect global commons in the past? What has changed recently?

Answer 4

A. In the past they were out of reach

B. advances in science and technology have given easier
access to a range of resources

B. Greater pressure to find resources

Question 5

Explain what is “The tragedy of the commons”

Answer 5

If individuals act independently and according to their
self-interest, this will be contrary to the interest of the
whole group because the shared resource will become
depleted.

Question 6

Give one example of the “tragedy of the commons”

Answer 6

Global fish stocks

Question 7

What is the name of the treaty that protects Antarctica as the global common?

Answer 7

Antarctic Treaty Systems (ATS)

Question 8

Two largest Ice shelves in Antarctica?

Answer 8

Ross Ice Shelf and Ronnie Ice Shelf

Question 9

Two seas near Antarctica?

Answer 9

Weddell Sea and Ross Sea

Question 10

Location of the Southern Ocean?

Answer 10

SOUTH from 60 S latitude

Question 11

The border of the Antarctic Treaty Limit?

Answer 11

60 S lattitude

Question 12

What is the Antarctic Convergence Zone?

Answer 12

A zone continuously encircling
Antarctica where cold northward flowing Antarctic waters
meet the relatively warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic

Question 13

How big is the Antarctic Convergence Zone?

Answer 13

32-48 km wide, varying latitude seasonally , 48-61

Question 14

What are the forms of life associated with the Antarctic Convergence Zone?

Answer 14

Krill

Question 15

What is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current or the West Wind Drift?

Answer 15

This current effectively blocks warmer waters travelling
southwards.

The Circumpolar Current flows in an
EASTWARD direction being driven by westerly winds

Question 16

What is the EAST WIND Drift? Which direction does it flow?

Answer 16

A lesser current, closer to Antarctica, flows in the opposite
direction westwards; it is known as the East Wind Drift
and is driven by easterly polar winds. The East Wind
Drift features prominently in the Ross and Weddell Seas.

Question 17

What is Antarctic Divergence?

Answer 17

It is the place where the East Wind Drift and Circumpolar Current meet

Question 18

How much percent of Antarctica is covered by glacial ice?

Answer 18

98%

Question 19

Differences between West and East Antarctica

Answer 19

The East Antarctic ice sheet is larger, thicker and much
older than the West Antarctic ice sheet. The Ellsworth
Mountains are found in West Antarctica and contain the
continent’s highest peak – Mount Vinson (4,892 m).

Question 20

Which continent is the highest?

Answer 20

Antarctica - 2,500 m above sea level

Question 21

Why is Antarctica described as a polar desert?

Answer 21

A. mean annual precipitation, falling predominantly as
snow, is low (especially in the interior) at less than
50 mm per annum

B. mean annual wind speed of 50 miles per hour (mph)
resulting from the convergent katabatic winds; gales
can reach 200 mph

Question 22

How does the wind in Antarctica support phytoplankton?

Answer 22

Sea temperature is warmer than the land

The CONVERGENT CATABATIC WIND blows the warmer water away

Upwelling cooler water from the ocean depths brings nutrients, which in turn support phytoplankton (microscopic algae)

Question 23

What percentage of whales live in the Southern Ocean?

Answer 23

80%

Question 24

By the 1960s - what was the decrease in whale population?

Answer 24

By the 1960s, whaling was no longer
commercially viable as whale populations had declined
by over 90 per cent due to overkilling and many
species had become endangered

Question 25

What is the IWC?

Answer 25

International Whaling Commission

Question 26

Which countries oppose the IWC actions?

Answer 26

Japan, Norway and Iceland

Question 27

Why do Russians and Japanese fish for krill?

Answer 27

A. excellent “superfood” B. process it to feed farmed fish

Question 28

What is KRILL?

Answer 28

Krill are tiny shrimp-like crustaceans which swim in
massive numbers and are a key part of the entire food
chain of the Southern Ocean.

Question 29

Why is commercial fishing a threat to Antarcitica?

Answer 29

a. destroying krill may lead to the changes in the whole FOOD WEB

b. high risk of by-catch

c. dumping waste into the ocean

Question 30

Climate change in Antarctica - Which part of the continent is loosing ice?

Answer 30

Some parts of east
Antarctica are accumulating small amounts of land
ice but there are dramatic increases in sea ice extent
on the eastern side.

The west side, however, is losing
significant quantities of both land ice and sea ice,
causing substantial impacts on wildlife.

Question 31

Which part of Antarctica is particularly sensitive to climate change?

Answer 31

The Antarctic Peninsula is particularly sensitive to
small rises in the annual average temperature; this
area has experienced air temperature increases of
nearly 3°C in the region in the last 50 years, which is a
much faster rate than the average for global warming,
according to the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC).

The temperature of Western
Antarctica has risen and, as a result, the West Antarctic
Ice Sheet has thinned significantly.