OA - Human Geography - Antarctica Lesson

Human Geography - Antarctica

The Antarctic Treaty

The continent of Antarctica is unique for many reasons. Politically it is unique because, unlike other continents, it is not controlled by any one government. This is the result of both the way in which it was explored and its geographical location. Early seafaring explorers sailed to the continent and established claims for their home countries. Today, forty-six countries are now included in the Antarctic Treaty, which was originally signed by twelve countries in 1959. The treaty, which was designed to protect the environment and encourage scientific research, prohibits military activities, mineral mining, and the disposal of waste products. Antarctica is divided into pie-shaped sections, and each of the original claimant countries is allocated a portion, according to their claim. The countries with original claims are Norway, New Zealand, France, Chile, Australia, and Argentina. Other countries, including Brazil, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the United States, have reserved their right to submit claims on the continent in the future if the issue of territorial claims becomes significant. A large sector of West Antarctica called Marie Byrd Land remains unclaimed.

Research stations account for the entire human population in Antarctica. Approximately one thousand people live in Antarctica year-round, and up to five thousand or more live there during the summer months. Many of the research stations rotate their personnel because tours of duty last anywhere from a few months to a year or more.

Tourism brings the largest number of additional people to the continent. Tourists come for short-term visits to experience the conditions or see the many species of penguins or fauna that exist here. More than forty-five thousand tourists visit the Antarctic Treaty area yearly. Most arrive on commercial ships that specialize in tours of the region. Tours only last one or two weeks.

Although research has revealed that mineral resources are to be found under the ice in Antarctica, and oil and natural gas are found in offshore deposits, all mining or economic activity is banned, and fishing is regulated. This is due to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (known as the Madrid Protocol) which was created in 1998 during negotiations between the interested countries that met in Madrid, Spain.   The protocol designates Antarctica as a natural reserve that can only be used for peaceful purposes and for science.

Climate Change

Changing global temperatures are one aspect of climate change that has received attention in recent years. Technically speaking, global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the earth's surface. Few environmental effects could impact Antarctica and the world as much as the phenomenon of changing temperatures. Some of the major ramifications for the entire world if the Antarctic ice sheet melts or dissolves away include:

• Flooding of cities and islands. Sea levels are rising and flooding many areas of the planet with large urban populations. For instance, many of the largest urban centers in the world are port cities that rely on the import and export of goods and materials. These cities would be in danger of being underwater if the sea level were to rise even a few feet, let alone up to two hundred feet (approximated to be equivalent to the volume of water in the polar ice caps).
• Increased radiation. Since light-colored surfaces such as snow and ice reflect more radiation than darker surfaces do. If the Antarctic ice sheet were to melt, this would certainly exacerbate global climate change, as more radiation would be absorbed in the surface (land and water).
• Decreased agricultural production. Climate change might also affect agricultural production. Global changes in temperature would alter ecosystems and the habitats of organisms, changing the balance of nature in many biomes.

The scientific community continues to study the dynamics of climate change. In the last decade, some of the warmest annual temperatures in the past century have been documented. Data gathered from both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) indicate that the earth's surface temperatures have increased.

Global Impacts and Organizations

Many governments around the world have established agencies to address environmental issues and have invested resources in continued research and scientific discovery. Many non-governmental agencies and organizations have also been established to address the development or management of Antarctica and to address environmental concerns. International organizations such as the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) have been formed to enhance cooperation between countries and concerned entities. In 1998, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization to address the work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Through an international treaty, the agency focuses on the harmful effects of climate change. One outcome of the UNFCCC's work was the Kyoto Protocol developed in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, which created a legal commitment by participants to reduce greenhouse gases and address climate change issues. More recently, world leaders met in November of 2016 to strengthen the global response to climate change. The Paris Agreement was the outcome of those meetings. Countries signing the agreement are committed to keeping the Earth's temperature 2 degrees (closer to 1.5 degrees) Celsius below pre-industrial levels. The group of nations joining has been called the "Under2 Coalition." As part of the agreement, all countries are expected to participate financially through the payment of "nationally determined contributions" (NDC) and to report their emissions and efforts regularly. Follow-up meetings to track progress are scheduled for 2018 and every five years to assess progress.

Climate change is not restricted to one country or one government; these and other environmental issues affect the whole planet and impact everyone, whether they are contributing to the problem or not. If the sea level were to rise to the level predicted because of global warming, it would affect every country with a coastline in the world. It would not be restricted to any one category of country, developed or undeveloped. The issues of increased UV radiation or climate change are not restricted by political boundaries or economic conditions; they require global thinking and awareness because they cannot be solved by one country alone—if they can be solved at all.

 

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