Protects Antarctic Sea Ice

Protects Antarctic Sea Ice

The successful establishment of SCAR and the IGY in Antarctica was due in large part to cooperation between the countries involved, and led directly to the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, which has administered Antarctic affairs since 1961 when it officially entered into force. The Antarctic Treaty, signed during mounting Cold War tensions, successfully banned all military activity, nuclear testing, and the dumping of radioactive materials on the continent. The 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, also known as the Madrid Protocol, entered into force in 1998 and serves as an additional mechanism for ensuring the protection of the Antarctic environment. The Madrid Protocol goes further than the original treaty as it designates Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science and places a moratorium on mining and drilling for oil for a minimum of 50 years. The Protocol sets forth basic principles and detailed, mandatory rules which apply to all human activities in Antarctica.

Nevertheless, following the energy crisis of the 1970s, several oil companies looked to Antarctica as a possible solution to future world oil shortages by announcing plans to exploit the continent's resources. The necessary conditions for economically-sound oil production projects were beginning to ripen along with high oil prices and demand, and improved drilling technology. The prospect that Antarctica's fragile wildnerness could be tainted as a result of oil exploration and drilling activities resulted in the mobilization of several conservation groups who were intent on preserving the continent's status as the most pristine in the world.

The effects of climate change on Antarctica vary from migrations of seal and penguin populations to other parts of the continent to abrupt changes in the glacial landscape. In March, 2000 the Larson B ice shelf in northern Antarctica - an area the size of Delaware - broke away from the continent and retreated into the sea. Similarly, in January, 1995, the Larson A ice shelf calved away from the continent, disappearing into the sea and bringing with it part of an Argentine base camp. Ice shelf instability is created as a result of higher sea and air temperatures, and a number of northern ice shelves have displayed similar trends such as the Wordie, Muller and Prince Gustav Channel shelves.

Despite the 1991 Madrid Protocol's 50-year moratorium placed on the exploitation of Antarctica's natural resources, future economic and population pressures could pose significant environmental threats to the continent of Antarctica. An expected and dramatic increase in world demand for energy over the next 30 years may expose the continent to countries and markets looking for alternative petroleum supplies. If Antarctica is indeed eventually opened for oil exploration activities, which many believe it will be, the potential for oil pollution occurrences such as oil tanker spills, the dumping of waste oil, natural oil seeps and well blowouts will rise substantially.