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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Sustainable Antarctic Management
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, a frozen wilderness that covers about 14 million square kilometres. Despite its harsh conditions, this icy landscape plays a crucial role in our planet's climate system and is home to unique wildlife adapted to extreme conditions. As human activity in the region increases, sustainable management of this pristine environment has become more important than ever.
Key Definitions:
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth. Winter temperatures can drop below -80°C and the continent receives less than 200mm of precipitation annually (mostly as snow). Despite these harsh conditions, Antarctica supports diverse marine ecosystems and is crucial for global climate regulation.
The Antarctic ecosystem includes penguins, seals, whales and various seabirds. The surrounding Southern Ocean is rich in krill, which forms the base of the Antarctic food web. These species have adapted to extreme conditions through specialised features like thick blubber layers, huddling behaviours and antifreeze proteins in their blood.
Antarctica might seem remote and irrelevant to our daily lives, but it's actually vital to the health of our planet in several ways:
Antarctica's ice sheets reflect sunlight back into space, helping to regulate Earth's temperature. The Southern Ocean absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, acting as a carbon sink that slows climate change.
Antarctica holds about 70% of Earth's fresh water in its ice sheets. If all this ice melted, global sea levels would rise by about 58 metres, threatening coastal communities worldwide.
Antarctica serves as a natural laboratory for scientific research, from studying climate history in ice cores to observing space from the clearest skies on Earth. It's also a place to test human adaptation to extreme environments.
Despite its remote location, Antarctica faces several significant threats:
The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth, with average temperatures rising by 3°C in the last 50 years. This warming is causing ice shelves to collapse and affecting wildlife that depends on sea ice, like Adélie penguins, whose populations have declined in some areas.
Tourist numbers have grown from a few thousand in the 1990s to over 55,000 visitors annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. While tourism brings awareness about Antarctic conservation, it also increases the risk of pollution, wildlife disturbance and introducing non-native species.
Antarctica potentially holds valuable mineral resources and fish stocks. Although mining is currently prohibited under the Antarctic Treaty's Environmental Protocol, fishing in the Southern Ocean requires careful management to prevent overexploitation.
Marine debris, microplastics and chemical pollutants from distant sources reach Antarctica through ocean and air currents. Research stations also generate waste and sometimes cause local pollution.
The cornerstone of Antarctic management is the Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959 and entering into force in 1961. This remarkable agreement has evolved into the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), which includes several related agreements:
Several approaches are used to manage Antarctica sustainably:
The ATS has established a system of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) and Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs) to safeguard particularly sensitive or important sites. These areas have specific management plans that may restrict access or activities.
All activities in Antarctica must undergo environmental impact assessment. Minor activities require an Initial Environmental Evaluation, while activities with more than a minor or transitory impact need a Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation, which is circulated to all Treaty parties for comment.
Strict waste management protocols require most waste to be removed from Antarctica. Open burning is prohibited and sewage from larger stations must be treated before disposal.
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has developed guidelines for responsible tourism, including limits on the number of people ashore at one time, maintaining safe distances from wildlife and thorough biosecurity measures.
In 2016, CCAMLR established the world's largest marine protected area (MPA) in the Ross Sea, covering 1.55 million square kilometres. About 72% of this area is a "no-take" zone where fishing is prohibited. The Ross Sea is home to 38% of the world's Adélie penguins, 30% of Antarctic petrels and 6% of Antarctic minke whales. The MPA aims to protect this biodiversity hotspot while allowing some sustainable fishing outside the no-take zones. Scientists monitor the area to assess the MPA's effectiveness, providing valuable data for future conservation efforts.
Science is at the heart of Antarctic management, with over 30 countries operating more than 70 research stations across the continent. This research helps us understand climate change, biodiversity and space science while fostering international cooperation.
The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) coordinates international research efforts. Projects like the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition bring together scientists from different countries to conduct multidisciplinary research. This scientific diplomacy helps maintain Antarctica as a continent of peace and cooperation despite political tensions elsewhere.
Managing Antarctica sustainably faces several challenges in the coming decades:
As warming continues, management strategies will need to adapt to changing conditions, including potential invasive species establishment and shifting wildlife distributions.
Increasing tourism and research activities will require more robust management frameworks to minimise environmental impacts.
The ban on mining under the Madrid Protocol could be reviewed after 2048, potentially reopening debates about resource exploitation.
Advances in renewable energy, remote sensing and waste treatment offer opportunities to reduce human impacts. Many research stations now use wind turbines and solar panels to decrease fossil fuel dependence.
Even though Antarctica is far away, your actions can help protect it:
Sustainable management of Antarctica represents one of humanity's greatest achievements in international cooperation for environmental protection. By preserving this unique continent through the Antarctic Treaty System, scientific research and careful management of human activities, we can ensure that Antarctica continues to benefit global ecosystems and future generations. As pressures on the continent increase, maintaining this commitment to sustainability will be more important than ever.
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