GS&GG: Global commons - Antarctica

Question 1

What are the 4 threats to Antarctica?

Answer 1

Climate change

Tourism + research

Mining

Fishing + whaling

Question 2

What are 2 negative impacts of tourism on Antarctica?

Answer 2

• Pollution - sinking of MV explorer and Mount Erebus Air crash
• Evidence breeding sites of birds near Antarctic bases distrubed

Question 3

What are 2 positive impacts of tourism on Antarctica?

Answer 3

• Raise awareness of need for conservation (Scott Polar Research Institute)
• Generally tourists do little damage = research suggests seals and penguins not affected + 95% of landing sites are not damaged

Question 4

What is the IAATO?

Answer 4

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators

Question 5

What does the IAATO do?

Answer 5

Self-regulates tourism, eg.

• guidelines*
• limited numbers of visitors taken ashore*
• encourage conservation talk*
• prohibits leaving waste*

Question 6

How does the IAATO limit damage on Antarctica?

Answer 6

• Large cruise ships not allowed to land = limits direct damage (only 53% of tourists actually land) but is a risk of ice-collision + subsequent oil spills.
• Tourists wear red jackets = show up on the ice
• Limited numbers of tourists onland/limited number of landings per day/sites

Question 7

What are 3 ways that climate change threatens Antarctica?

Answer 7

• Western sea ice shrinkage = changes distribution of penguin colonies eg. emperor penguin and chinstrap population.
• Less sea ice = less under-shelf algae = Krill numbers declined by 80%
• Ocean acidification = damaged plankton = impacts food web

Question 8

What are 3 ways that fishing + whaling threaten Antarctica?

Answer 8

• Whales decreased from 275,000 to 2000
• Long-line fishing = endangered Patagonian toothfish
• Depletion of Krill

Question 9

Positives of IWM?

Negatives of IWM?

Answer 9

+ Decreased whaling levels = whale stocks recovered

• Voluntary - can exempt yourself
• Scientific whaling loophole = Japan
• Doesn’t inspect whaling boats so difficult to monitor

Question 10

What international laws help to protect Antarctica?

Answer 10

Antarctic Treaty

Protocol on Environmental Protection

Question 11

What are the 3 rules of the Antarctic Treaty?

Answer 11

Used for peaceful reasons - no army bases/weapons

Cooperation on scientific research

Remain a global commons - no individual country claims

Question 12

What is the PEP?

Answer 12

Added onto Antarctic Treaty

Focussing on protecting fragile environment

Question 13

What does the 1991 PEP ban?

Answer 13

All mining in Antarctica.

Question 14

What global institutions govern Antartica?

Answer 14

International Whaling Comission

UN Environment Programme

Question 15

What does the IWC do?

Answer 15

Regulates whaling

Set up Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary

Question 16

Why has the IWC been criticised?

Answer 16

Not properly monitoring whale numbers in sanctuary

Question 17

How does the UNEP protect Antarctica?

Answer 17

Runs CCAMLR which aims to stop illegal fishing and conserve ecosystems.

Question 18

CCAMLR

Answer 18

Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Question 19

What does the IWM do?

Question 20

Why is CCAMLR’s effectiveness limited?

Answer 20

Individual countries protect own interest.

Question 21

What is a key NGO involved in protecting Antarctica?

Answer 21

Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition

Question 22

What are positives of ASOC?

Answer 22

• Successfully campaigned to make meetings more transparent
• Monitors environmental changes + effects of climate change
• Monitors compliance of countries