A Risk To Antarctica
Antarctica is the coldest, most isolated and inaccessible region of Earth. Because it was deemed unable to support much human activity, it was decided by all nations that it should be shared. However as more and more natural resources start to dry up, more nations are eying Antarctica as a region of additional resources.
People are starting to now see the Antarctic as more than just a place of ice, penguins and seals; and oil, coal and iron are now the focus of their attention. The haven for scientific studies and international cooperation is envisioned as a possible powderkeg of nationalistic confrontation.
Scientists stationed at the main U.S. Antarctic base have often spoken of decades of pleasant research and sharing among different nations. The high level of human bonding is said to be because of the common challenge that the environment creates, and a common interest in the research that is being done. Antarctic Cruising
There is a park dedicated to the work and vision of Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd near the headquarters of the National Science Foundation which controls the activities of U.S Antarctica. Richard Evelyn Byrd led five expeditions across Antarctica and was the first to fly over the South Pole. His vision for Antarctica is a continent of peace, as nations work together for the cause of science, and set an example of international cooperation. But are his noble visions likely to survive in a world that has become reliant on the Earth’s minerals?
There is little known about the Antarctic’s mineral deposits but there is now growing interest. The situation in the Antarctic has changed to become more revolved around political situation and less in science. The existence of large quantities of minerals and also oil may lie waiting to be discovered under the frozen landscape and beneath the treacherous seas. cruise to antarctica
The region and surrounding area is geologically similar to other areas of the Earth where there is an abundance of oil and mineral reserves. Small scale drilling offshore by the U.S has already hinted that hydrocarbon deposits might exist. Large amounts of iron and coal have already been discovered and concentrations of uranium, tin, lead, gold, titanium, copper, cobalt, nickel and chromium have also been found on land.
Until now the extreme nature of the environment has made the exploitation of the Antarctic an expensive and impossible task. Scientists and environmentalists alike are now concerned as the exploitation of the region is now makes sense economically due to the rising price of minerals and the new technology that is now available.
The Antarctic is just one of a small number of regions that remain unspoilt and unpolluted on the Earth and this has raised concern amongst environmentalists worldwide. Groups such as the Sierra Club and the International Institute for Environment and Development, in London, see inevitable conflict between environmental and commercial interests.
They point out that there must be some exploration and studies to see what resources are in Antarctica and to assess the environmental impact of exploiting them. One worry is that the results of such studies will encourage nations into the exploitation.Oil drilling causes a lot of concern because of the chances of oil spills. The majority of the animals, including seals and birds that live in the Antarctic, could be severely affected. Any oil spill in the Antarctic could be more damaging than anywhere else because oil degrades at a slower rate in colder temperatures.
The Antarctic became a scientific preserve in 1959 under a landmark treaty and most of the activity there is controlled by the treaty. The 12 original signatory nations, who were later joined by Poland, administer the continent jointly and have closed it off to military activity, nuclear weapons testing and radioactive waste disposal. The treaty side-steps some over lapping land claims like those by Great Britain, France, Chile, Australia, Norway, New Zealand and Argentina claiming some of its Antarctica territory.
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