Antarctica
- Created by: emily.tx
- Created on: 13-03-18 12:39
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- Antarctica
- The Southern Ocean was a new introduced ocean in 2000
- 60 degrees in Latitude and 360 degrees of Longitude
- The Antarctic Convergence Zone is where Northward flowing waters from the Antarctic meet warmer Sub-Antarctic waters
- Around 32-48km wide but can vary seasonally
- Cold northward Antarctic waters sink beneath Sub Antarctic waters
- High productivity- especially Krill
- The natural boundary in the Southern Ocean with a dividing line looping around the Antarctic Continent
- Antarctic Circumpolar Region- flows Eastwards due to Westerly winds blocking warm water travelling South. Known as the West Wind Drift
- Antarctic Divergence- a lesser current flowing Westwards, blown by Easterly winds
- Physical Geography
- Dry Valleys of Antarctica
- The Transantarctic Mountains
- Areas of Debate
- Fishing and Whaling
- Fishing has replaced whaling as the primary contemporary economic focus in recent years
- Russian and Japanese exploitation of the Southern Ocean have caused serious overfishing concerns in relation to krill and rock cod
- Conservation is essential
- Russian and Japanese exploitation of the Southern Ocean have caused serious overfishing concerns in relation to krill and rock cod
- There was Norweigan, British and American exploitation of Blue and Right Whales for Baleen
- By 1985, stocks were so low that commercial whaling had to be stopped
- Fishing has replaced whaling as the primary contemporary economic focus in recent years
- Climate Change
- East Antartica's ice sheet is thickening- warmer seas increase evaporation to condense into cloud droplets and fall as extra snow
- The Antarctic Peninsula is most sensitive to climate change and in the past 60 years, temperatures every decade have risen by 0.5C
- The melting of the ice shelf means land based ice is no longer restrained so will slide into the sea
- Tourism and Scientific research
- 33,000 tourists and 70,000 researchers visit Antarctica every year
- Tourists can disturb wildlife, drop litter and trample plants
- Tourists could introduce non native species or diseases to the area
- Fishing and Whaling
- Antarctica is a global common so has no government to manage it
- Antarctic Treaty system (ATS) was signed in Dec 1959 by 12 nations which is an agreement not to recognise, dispute or establish further claims of territorial sovereignty over Antarctica
- It would guarantee free access and research rights to all countries
- Prohibit military activity e.g nuclear bomb tests
- Ban the dumping of nuclear waste
- 52 countries have now signed up to the ATS which has a growing membership
- On June 1st 2016, 29 countries unanimously renewed their commitment to a ban on mining activities in Antarctica
- The protocol will expire in 2048
- Proclaims Antarctica is a 'natural reserve devoted to peace and science'
- It would guarantee free access and research rights to all countries
- Antarctic Treaty system (ATS) was signed in Dec 1959 by 12 nations which is an agreement not to recognise, dispute or establish further claims of territorial sovereignty over Antarctica
- Issues associated with protecting Antartica
- SCAR- Scientific committee (of) Antarctic research
- Researches the survival of species, the maintenance of biodiversity and the ability of species to recover from shock events
- To recover from severe disturbance by resisting damage and returning to an equilibrium
- The ability to recover from shock events, disturbances and ongoing change
- The ability to bounce back links to adaption to changing conditions
- Endemic species generally survive shock events by allowing their populations to rebuild
- Mitigation
- intervention by humans to eliminate or reduce risk hazards presented by a natural or physical induced phenomenon
- Fundamental in responding to climate change- there are consistently changing carbon footprints as we use more resources than are put back
- Can only be undertaken by protecting the existing environment and by monitoring any change
- Antarctic treaty system
- Signed in Washington on Dec 1st 1959, entered into force June 23rd 1961
- originally 12 signatory nations but as of 2015 there are now 52
- Recognizing that it is in the interest of all making that Antarctica will forever continue to be used exclusively for peace
- Acknowledging the substantial contributions to scientific knowledge resulting from international cooperation
- Convinced that the establishment of a firm foundation for the continuation and development of such cooperation on the basis of freedom of scientific investigation is applied
- Convinced that a treaty ensuring the use of Antartica for a peaceful purpose only will further the purposes and principles
- The wider ATS is governed by the Antarctic Treaty consultative meetings (ATCM)
- Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty 1991 (the Madrid Protocol)
- Started following a lengthy campaign by GreenPeace including the construction of an Antarctic base from 1987-1991. Greenpeace claims the protocol a victory
- Agree in 1991, came to force in 1998
- Purpose was to protect Antarctica for 50 years from commercial exploitation primarily of it's mineral wealth
- Issues for debate
- Mining
- Liability
- SCAR- Scientific committee (of) Antarctic research
- The Southern Ocean was a new introduced ocean in 2000
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