The World’s Last Great Wilderness (Antarctica)

Dr Julian ParenSchools Liaison Officer

British Antarctic Survey

Talk at RGS 8 February 2001

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The Antarctic continentThe Antarctic continent

• Coldest, driest, windiest, highest, and least accessible continent

• Winter population 1000 people, 10,000 in summer• 10,000 tourists visit for a few days in summer• Ice covered for the last 25 million years• Less than 1% of continent is ice free• Once the home of dinosaurs, trees and plants• An insect is the “lion” of the Antarctic

The Southern OceanThe Southern Ocean

• Fifty million seals & 15 million penguins• Regional fishery of global economic value• History of over-exploitation. Seals, whales. penguins and

fish• Fishery for krill and fish regulated by science-backed

international body under Antarctic Treaty• Pirate fishing due to lack of effective policing• Decline of albatross due to mortality on long lines of tuna

fishermen in sub-Tropics

The Antarctic TreatyThe Antarctic Treaty

• Antarctica is “a natural reserve devoted to peace and science”

• The Antarctic Treaty manages the region’s wildlife• Mining is forbidden • The Treaty runs indefinitely• Forty-four countries have acceded to the Antarctic Treaty

(80% of the world population)• All 44 countries have to agree to Treaty revisions

“Green” fallacies about the Antarctic“Green” fallacies about the Antarctic

• The Antarctic Treaty expires in 50 years• Mining is only banned for 50 years• Antarctica is under threat from developers• People working in the Antarctic have polluted the

continent• Antarctica still has to be saved• Penguins fall over backwards when planes fly overhead!

Home truths from the AntarcticHome truths from the Antarctic

• The Antarctic is the most rigorously protected region of the world

• The protection is legally backed• International inspection teams monitor compliance with

the Antarctic Treaty• Man’s footprint on Antarctica is practically invisible• More “pollution” enters the region through the

atmosphere than is generated there (DDT, CFCs )

Antarctic discoveriesAntarctic discoveries

• The destruction of the ozone layer• A 400,000 year demonstration of the link between

greenhouse gases and climate• The global impact of the Industrial Revolution• A reduction of the height of the ionosphere consistent

with “global warming”• Lakes beneath the Antarctic ice sheet believed to contain

life forms possibly millions of years old

Antarctica is part of the worldAntarctica is part of the world

• The Earth system involves the whole Earth• Antarctic studies are essential• There can be no weak link in understanding the Earth

system• Climate feedbacks involving ice, snow, sea ice and ocean

currents provide the greatest challenges in predicting the future

The Arctic The Arctic

• Contains cities, towns and universities• Indigenous population share the region with new settlers• All Arctic land is under the jurisdiction of a sovereign

state• UK scientists regularly work in the Arctic• There is far more science activity in the Arctic compared

to the Antarctic

The Antarctic ice sheetThe Antarctic ice sheet

• Ice up to three miles (4500 m) thick• Coldest surface temperature -89 degrees C• Enough ice for each person in the world to have a block

180 m by 180 m by 180 m• If all melted, sea level could rise 65 metres• If all the glaciers doubled their speed of flow it would

take 12,000 years for the ice to float into the Southern Ocean

Antarctic ice and sea level riseAntarctic ice and sea level rise

• A small change in the size of the Antarctic ice sheet would be serious for sea level

• One small part of Antarctica is above freezing in the summer - the Antarctic Peninsula.

• The Antarctic Peninsula is warming and its coastline is changing

• Maps of Antarctica need updating regularly because of the changes to the coastline

• The disintegration of ice shelves from the Antarctic Peninsula has had no effect on sea level

• Most of Antarctica is not warming

• In a warmer world more snow will fall over the Antarctic

• Enhanced Antarctic snowfall is possibly the only natural way that sea level rise can be slowed

Future developments in AntarcticaFuture developments in Antarctica

• Exploring the largest lake under the ice sheet• Obtaining a reliable climate record over half a million

years• Exploiting natural “antifreeze” in Antarctic organisms• Studying the effects of increased UV-radiation and

“global warming” on Antarctic life• Celebrating the centenaries of the historic expeditions of

Scott, Shackleton and Bruce

Antarctic Schools PackAntarctic Schools Pack

• Fifteen sections : each with worksheet and tasks and resources for multiple photocopying

• Teachers notes• Sent free to every UK secondary school• Aimed at A-level standard• Written by British Antarctic Survey scientists and an

educational advisor• Published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Antarctic Schools PackAntarctic Schools Pack

• The nature of Antarctica

• Discovery of Antarctica

• Living and working in Antarctica

• Science in Antarctica

• The Antarctic Treaty System

• Geology in Antarctica

• Antarctic ice

• The Antarctic climate

• The ozone hole

• Geospace

• Terrestrial and freshwater lake ecosystems

• Marine ecosystems

• Management and conservation of marine species

• Environmental protection of Antarctica

• Tourism in Antarctica

Feedback on Antarctic Schools PackFeedback on Antarctic Schools Pack

• “An essential resource for school or college”• “Packed with a variety of up-to-date and relevant

information that can be used flexibly in the classroom”• “Mori” poll voted it one of the best four resources

available for study of environmental change• Received Gold Award of Geographical Association in

Spring 2000

Future teaching resources on AntarcticaFuture teaching resources on Antarctica

• BAS has signed a partnership agreement with the Geographical Association

• First priority is to develop a Work Package at GCSE level on Antarctica

• Propose to develop materials for Primary Schools• BAS welcomes feedback on the Schools Pack• BAS will develop www.antarctica.ac.uk

Resources on the webResources on the web

• www.antarctica ac.uk (British Antarctic Survey)• www.asoc.org (The Antarctica Project)• www.antarctic.com.au (Antarctic Adventure)• www.aad.gov.au/goingsouth/tourism/news (tourism)• http://files.fco.gov.uk/info/briefs/antarctic.pdf

(Britain and Antarctica briefing document)

• news.bbc.co.uk (search for “Antarctic”)