Continent

August 10, 2023

While I have been reading articles on the shrinking glaciers on Greenland and the melting tundra in Alaska and Siberia there has been little mention of the frozen south.  Now scientists are reporting this remote and desolate land is recording record shattering temperatures of 70F (17.8C) above normal over the summer of 2023 (northern winter).  The temperature extremes also vary wildly from the east to the west side of the continent.  The western peninsula is seeing dramatic loss of ice sheets while the east has at times gained ice.  One western ice sheet has been named the Doomsday Glacier as it has been melting so fast.  The sea ice that surrounds Antarctica is also melting, turning from a record high to the lowest amount ever recorded.  Martin Siegert and Anna Hogg who coauthored the research paper state that if the trend continues it will result in disappearing coastlines and increased global warming as the light reflecting ice disappears across the continent of Antarctica.

When I looked online, I found Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost and least-populated continent.  This southern landmass is situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (Antarctic Ocean) and contains the geographic South Pole.   Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, with an area of 5,500,000 square miles (14,200,000 km²).  Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet which has an average thickness of 1.2 miles (1.9 km).  The continent on average is the coldest, driest, and windiest of the seven continents, and has the highest average elevation.  The land is a polar desert, with annual precipitation of just over 8 inches (200 mm) along the coast and far less inland.  Nearly 70% of the world’s freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica.  If they were to melt it would raise global sea levels by almost 200 feet (60 m).  Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth at −128.6F (−89.2C), while the coastal regions can reach temperatures over 50F (10C) in summer.  Native animal species include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals, and tardigrades. Where vegetation exists, it is mostly lichen or moss.

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (PEP) was enacted in 1998 and is due to be reviewed in 2048.  The treaty restricts the exploitation of the resources of Antarctic continent, including the small deposits of minerals that have been found.  The treaty also makes tourism subject to the provisions of PEP.  The self-regulatory body is the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.  Tourists are allowed to arrive by small or medium ship at specific scenic locations with accessible concentrations of iconic wildlife.  Over 74,000 tourists visited the region during the 2019-2020 season.  While 18,500 arrived on cruise ships that did not include excursions on land, the other 55,500 impacted the coastal shores.  Some conservation groups have expressed concern over possible adverse effects caused by these visitors and have called for limits on visiting cruise ships and a tourism quota.  The response by PEP has been to develop guidelines that set landing limits and closure or restricted zones on the more frequently visited sites.  Qantas now operates commercial overflights to the continent from Australia.

Thoughts:  The population of researchers in Antarctic continent varies from around 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter, with another 1,000 personnel (ship crews and scientists) doing onboard research in the surrounding waters.  At least 11 children have been born in Antarctica.  These extra 60,000 people (tourists and researchers) on land have their own impact on the fragile environment.  “Because it is there” used to be sufficient reason to challenge the wilds.  It now appears to have shifted to, “Because I can”.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.