Global Commons Flashcards
Define global commons
Resource domains or areas that lie outside of the political reach of any one nation-state
An area that is owned or used jointly by a community
Give 4 examples of the world’s global commons
Oceans
Atmosphere
Space
Antarctica
What are the Pros and Cons of global commons
PROS
- Provides multiple responsibilities to its care
- Unspoilt (in theory)
CONS
- Conflict over who has power over them
- Political disputes
What does tragedy of the commons mean
AN economic theory of a situation within a shared-resource system where individual users acting indapenandtly according to their own self-interest, behaving contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through collective action
The Southern Ocean was recognised in 2000 as the……………..in the world with the average depth being….m
Largest
4000m
What is the Min circumpolar current
Largest current in the world
Helps redistribute the heat and influences temperature and rainfall patterns = helps bring nutrients from the deep ocean to the surface
What is the Antarctic Convergence
Zone where there is the mixing of waters of different temperatures and densities - causing turbulence, allowing ocean nutrients to rise from the depths to the surface, helping the growth of plantation and the marine ecosystem
What is the maximum sustainable yield
Amount of resource harvested without affecting the original population
Annual melt……the size of Antarctica
Halves
Define whaling
The hunting of whales, mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date back to 3000BC
What are some arguments pro-whaling in Japan
Tradition
Whales helped keep Japanese citizens fed during and after ww2
Whale meat made up half of all animal protein in 1947
What is the impact of krill fishing
100,000 tonnes caught per year
Concern that it could negatively affect the entire marine ecosystem as krill is a major food source for whales, fish, seals and birds
Fishing vessels operate in the immediate proximity of penguin colonies and whale feeding grounds
Krill biomass has increased by…% because of the reduction in whales
17
What is the impact of fishing the Patagonian Toothfish
High level of IUU fishing
Longline fishing can result in bycatch of bird species such as albatrosses and Petrels which are caught and drowned in the lines
How do the vast majority of tourists travel to Antarctica
By boat
No tourists…..on Antarctica
Stay
Give 6 impacts tourism can have on Antarctica
Disruption to animal species + breeding patterns
Mineral exploitation
Invasive species
Litter
Trampling + ice erosion
Oil spills
Explain disruption to animal species + breeding patterns
More tourists = more global warming = melting ice = bredding patterns altered (penguins)
Boats may scare marine life + tourists may frighten other animals
Boat noise disrupts mating calls of humpback whales
How do tourists influence mineral exploitation
Not economically viable + banned by Madrid review
But as technology increases and the Madrid Review comes up for renewal in 2048, it could pose a real threat
Would need infrastructure to be built on Antarctica + pollution
What is the impact of invasive species
Damaging biodiversity through new diseases introduced or more dominant species interrupting the food chain
What is the impact of litter in Antarctica
Tourists bring supplies which could include materials like plastics that do not biodegrade
Swallowed by animals
Uninhabited, so any dropped litter is unlikely to be picked up
What is the impact of ice erosion/trampling
Exploration into new areas could cause the ice to become thinner and breakaway
What is the impact of oil spills from boats in Antarctica
Oil spills can reduce the sunlight from reaching oceanic environments which can seriously impact producers, and thus, the entire food chain of an ecosystem
Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals - exposing these creatures to the harsh elements.
Without the ability to repel water + insulated from cold water, birds and mammals will die from hyperthermia
Whales can ingest oil, damaging lungs + immune system
Antarctica is one of the planets last………………, under threat from mankind’s insatiable……………..for harvesting the seas
Unspoilt ecosystems
Appetite
What is suction harvesting
Gathers up vast quantities of krill to meet the increased demand
It threatens not just krill, but the entire ecosystem that depends on them
How do krill reduce global warming
Remove CO2 by eating carbon-rich food near the surface and excreting it when they sink lower, to colder waters to escape predators
Average Batarctic peninsula temperatures have risen by…ºC in last 50 years
2.5
Krill are thought to ‘sequester’ carbon equivalent to the emissions of………………………….per year
35 million cars
How many tourists visited Antarctica 2018-19
55,489
Up 14% from the previous year
What is happening to East Antarctica and why
The ice sheet is thickening, as is the interior
Likely to be increased snowfall
Thickening due to warmer seas which increase evaporation to condense into cloud droplets and fall as extra snow in the frozen interior
This slows sea-level rise by 1/10 mm per year
What is happening to the Peninsula and why
Increased rainfall
Collapse of ice shelves around this area
Reduction of sea ice
Increased melting of low-lying snow + overall snow cover
Most sensitive to climate change
Past 60 years, temperature has risen by 0.5ºC per decade = 5x faster than rest of the world
What is happening to West Antarctica and why
Ice sheet = smaller and more vulnerable
Most of the ice = ‘warm based’ - more likely to fall into the sea which could raise global sea levels by 5m
What is the IWC
Inter-governmental Organisation whose purpose is the conservation of whales and the management of whaling
Give the pros of the IWC
- Protects over 80 species of cetaceans
- Works to address a wide range of conservation issues including bycatch, entanglements, ocean noise, pollution collision between ships and whales and sustainable whale catching
- Any country can join
- Countries are given expert advice so they are properly equipped
How many members are there of the IWC
89 - works on a global scale
The IWC is……….therefore not backed by any treaty. Therefore the IWC has substantial practical……….to its authority
Voluntary
Give the cons of the IWC
Not everyone does join - Japan and Canada pulled out of the agreement
Any member may opt-out of any specific IWC regulations by lodging a formal objection to it within 90 days of the regulation coming into force. This is because it is preferable to have parties to remain with some agreement than opt-out altogether
No ability to enforce any of its decisions through penalties
What is an NGO
Non-governmental organisation - means it’s not bound or controlled by any government power
Their influence can be varied and require sufficient funding
Give 4 NGO’s
WWF
ASOC - Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition
AOA - Antarctic Ocean Alliance
SCAR - Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
What does SCAR do
Charged with initiating, developing and coordinating scientific research in the Antarctic region
Provides independent scientific advice to organisations and governments on the issues of protection and conservation management in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean
WWF influence in Antarctica
Campaigns against actions that will threaten Antarctic wildlife
Saw new regulations that stopped vessels using/carrying heavy fule in ANtarctic waters come into force
Spills of lighter-weight fuels could still happen, but at least it will evaporate and disperse more easily, posing less of a threat to wildlife
What is ASCO
Whose mission is to “protect the ANtarctic and SOuthern Oceans unique and vulnerable ecosystems”.
Monitors all issues that impact Antarctica including climate change, tourism, over-fishing (human causes)
What is the AOA
Worked to support the creation of a network of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica
After years of negotiations, world leaders agreed to protect the Ross Sea. This historic agreement set aside 2 million square km’s of ocean (size of Mexico) as a sanctuary for Antarctica’s unique marine life
What is the Antarctic Treaty
1961 - recognised as one of the most successful international agreements
Treaty sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, establishes freedom of scientific investigation and bans military activity
Give some points from the Antarctic Treaty
No military
Complete freedom for scientific investigation
Different nations will exchange scientific research
All territorial claims are put aside
Nuclear activity = banned
What is the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
SIgned in Madrid in 1991
Designates Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted to peace and science”
Prohibits all activities related to Antarctic mineral resources, except for scientific research
What is UNEP
Aims to protect the global environment
Regularly reports activity in Antarctica back to the UN
