Antarctica case study

Question 1

What was the purpose of the Antarctica treaty?

Answer 1

To ‘demilitarise’ Antarctica and ensure that the continent was strictly used for peaceful purposes.

Question 2

What and when was the voluntary moratorium imposed?

Answer 2

Nations of the treaty imposed a voluntary moratorium on the exploration and exploitation of Antarctic minerals in 1976 as a precautionary measure.

Question 3

When was the Antarctica treaty signed?

Answer 3

1st of December 1959
Washington DC
12 countries signed it

Question 4

What is the main issue with the Antarctica treaty?

Answer 4

50 years after the treaty was put into place (2048) that the treaty and its rules would become modifiable, meaning that there could potential changes to the treaty that would render Antarctica vulnerable to mineral exploitation.

Question 5

When were members of the treaty trying to formulate a new convention to extract Antarctic minerals and resources?

Answer 5

In late 1970s & early 80s, members of the treaty were secretly trying to formulate mineral convention allowing them to explore and extract minerals.

This convention was adopted in 1988, however never came into force.

Question 6

What is evidence of minerals being present in Antartica?

Answer 6

Transantarctic Mountain range (Coal)

Prince Charles Mountain range (Iron)

Gondwanaland theory (In regards to geological similarities in South America, South Africa, Australia , etc.)

Question 7

List the whaling combative organisations

Answer 7

International Whaling Comission (IWC) - Est 1946 to provide conservation of whale stocks/numbers.

Interntational Whaling Moratorium- in 1982 the IWC decided there should be a pause in commercial whaling from 1985/186 onwards. However Japan bipasses this moratorium with a special permit.