Antarctica as a global common

Question 1

What are the global commons?

Answer 1

Resources that are shared and accessible by all with no single governing country or power (they are unowned).

Question 2

What are the 5 main global commons?

Answer 2

• High Seas
• Outer Space
• Antarctica
• Atmosphere
• Cybersphere

Question 3

What systems of global governance are in place to manage the High Seas?

Answer 3

1. Governed by the UN convention of the Law of the Sea (1982) - aimed at managing the activities and uses of oceans.
2. Exclusive economic zones area available to each country - aimed at managing over - exploitation of the seas (e.g. over fishing).

Question 4

What systems of global governance are in place to manage Outer Space?

Answer 4

1. Controlled by the Outer Space Treaty (1967) - aimed at ensuring space is free for exploration and can be used by all nations.

Question 5

What systems of global governance are in place to manage Antarctica?

Answer 5

1. Controlled by the Antarctic Treaty System (1951) - aimed at prohibiting nuclear testing military operations, economic exploitation and territorial claims in Antarctica.

Question 6

What systems of global governance are in place to manage the Atmosphere?

Answer 6

1. Controlled by the UN’s Montreal Protocol (1987) - aimed at regulating the chemicals that affect the ozone layer.
2. Controlled by the Paris Agreement (2015) as a part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - aimed at keeping global temperatures below 2 degrees celsius.

Question 7

What rights do all countries have in relation to the global commons?

Answer 7

To be able to benefit from the Global commons.

Question 8

What responsibilities do all countries have in relation to the global commons?

Answer 8

To manage them sustainably and to protect them for future generations.

Question 9

What is sustainable development?

Answer 9

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 10

Define economic sustainability.

Answer 10

People have access to reliable income over time.

Question 11

Define social sustainability.

Answer 11

People enjoy a reasonable quality of life.

Question 12

Define environmental sustainability.

Answer 12

Renewable resources are managed to guarantee continued use and minimise damage to the environment.

Question 13

What is the tragedy of the commons?

Answer 13

The conflict for resources between individual interests and the common good (the interests of society).

Question 14

What are common access resources?

Answer 14

Any type of resources which can be overexploited.

Question 15

What are the main threats to the global commons?

Answer 15

1. Advances in technology and science have increased the accessibility to these resources
2. Greater scarcity of resources and the growth of the global population has placed increased pressure on the global commons providing resources.

Question 16

What is Antarctica’s climate like?

Answer 16

• Extremely dry, receiving less than 500mm of precipitation per year (desert)
• Average temperature of -49 degrees celsius
• Extremely strong katabatic winds in certain regions (60-70mph winds) and mean average is 50mph winds.

Question 17

What are the 4 factors which makes Antarctica so cold and dry?

Answer 17

1. Elevation (altitude)
2. Heat transport
3. Continentality
4. Solar radiation

Question 18

How does elevation (altitude) contribute to Antarctica being cold and dry?

Answer 18

• Ice has built on top of a large continental landmass
• Mount Vinson is the highest peak in Antarctica (4897m elevation)

Question 19

How does heat transport contribute to Antarctica being cold and dry?

Answer 19

• Sea surface temperatures below 3.5 degrees Celsius limits the warming of air above
• Energy deficit due to high surface albedo

Question 20

How does continentality contribute to Antarctica being cold and dry?

Answer 20

• Since much of the terrain is far from the sea, moist air masses are far away

Question 21

Hoe does solar radiation contribute to Antarctica being cold and dry?

Answer 21

• Low angle of incidence
• Changes in the length of day and night (long periods of darkness)
• Wide surface area

Question 22

When was the Southern Ocean introduced as an ocean?

Answer 22

2000

Question 23

Why is the Southern Ocean so important?

Answer 23

The Southern Ocean acts as the ocean conveyor belt and help circulate heat around the globe.

Question 24

What is thermohaline circulation (Global Ocean circulation)?

Answer 24

The movement of seawater in a pattern of flow dependent on variations in temperature, and consequently salinity and density also.

Question 25

What is the Antarctic Convergence Zone?

Answer 25

A natural boundary encircling Antarctica where cold northward flowing Antarctic waters meet the relatively warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic.

Question 26

What occurs at the Antarctic Convergence Zone? Why is it important?

Answer 26

The East Wind drift, a colder current, is driven by polar winds causing the cold and dense surface waters to sink and flow northward (towards Antarctica). Whereas, the West Wind drift, a warmer current, is driven by westerly winds in an eastwards direction (away from Antarctica). Where these two currents meet, an ocean circulation system is formed (the convergence zone).

Question 27

Why is the Antarctic Convergence Zone important in terms of marine life?

Answer 27

The mixing of warmer and colder water creates an area of high marine productivity.
This environment is ideal for the production of krill.