This blog post examines why we must be more cautious, focusing on the accelerated warming and ecosystem destruction that Antarctic development could cause.
Looking at a globe, you see the Antarctic continent painted pure white. You’ve probably seen images on TV of pristine glaciers drifting, with emperor penguin families strolling leisurely around them. Antarctica is located at the southernmost point of the Earth’s axis, at 90 degrees south latitude. The combined area of the Antarctic continent, adjacent islands, and ice shelves is approximately 14 million square kilometers. While geographical exploration of the Antarctic continent has been conducted by many explorers since the late 18th century, Antarctica remained the last unknown continent on Earth. Until before World War II, only the outline of the Antarctic continent had been revealed, and its interior remained largely unexplored except for a few areas. However, today, numerous countries send research teams to Antarctica, establish research stations, and conduct diverse studies such as geological surveys and oceanographic research in a multifaceted manner, yielding noteworthy results. Furthermore, Antarctica is estimated to hold significant deposits of petroleum and mineral resources, attracting considerable global interest.
In 1819, British Captain William Smith became the first person in human history to reach Antarctica. He discovered the South Shetland Islands, located north of Antarctica. Another historic event occurred in 1911 when Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole on December 14, 1911. This became a catalyst for many people’s fascination with Antarctica. However, systematic scientific research on Antarctica began in earnest during the International Geophysical Year spanning 1957–1958. The twelve nations participating in Antarctic observation signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, agreeing that the Antarctic region should be used only for peaceful purposes and should not become a stage or object of international discord. Currently, 29 nations—including the United States, Russia, Japan, Argentina, South Korea, China, France, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and New Zealand—have established a total of 75 scientific stations in Antarctica. Of these, 39 stations operate year-round, while the rest are open only during the summer.
Many people believe only a few species, like penguins, inhabit Antarctica. While the variety of species is limited, it is believed that some, like krill, exist in enormous numbers. Of course, terrestrial life is very restricted, with only a few species adapted to survive Antarctica’s extreme environment. However, Antarctic marine life has undergone unique evolutionary processes unseen elsewhere, maintaining diversity and forming a distinctive ecosystem. The value of such biological research is immense, and many nations are also interested in Antarctic resource development. It is estimated that Antarctica holds oil and rare earth resources sufficient for the entire world’s use for 100 years, which could become a crucial resource source in a world of limited oil reserves. Beyond oil, significant mineral resources are also predicted to be buried there. For example, a 400-meter-thick banded iron formation has been discovered in the Prince Charles Mountains region of East Antarctica, evaluated as an economically valuable resource.
Such resource potential makes Antarctica highly attractive, spurring multiple nations to accelerate Antarctic development. Icebreakers are entering Antarctica to break up ice and conduct drilling surveys, with economic feasibility assessments underway. However, this Antarctic development process is causing numerous problems. We will carefully re-examine Antarctic development and explore the reasons for preserving Antarctica from multiple angles.
First, Antarctica’s vast ice sheets reflect sunlight, reducing the heat absorbed by the Earth, playing a crucial role in suppressing the rise in global average temperatures. However, Antarctic ice sheets have been rapidly shrinking in recent years, with glacial loss accelerating particularly in the West Antarctic region. Satellite observations by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) indicate that Antarctic ice has been diminishing at an average annual rate of approximately 150 billion tons from 2002 to 2023, directly contributing to sea level rise. This persistent glacial retreat lowers Earth’s albedo (reflectivity), intensifying the greenhouse effect and consequently worsening the climate crisis.
Second, ozone layer depletion in polar regions could accelerate. A massive ozone hole currently exists over Antarctica, and this is likely to worsen significantly as emissions of organic compounds increase due to Antarctic development. Although Antarctic development is not the sole cause of ozone depletion, chlorine compounds released into the atmosphere from exhaust gases and waste incineration during development would reduce the ozone layer’s density.
Third, Antarctic development could alter deep-sea bottom currents, triggering abnormal weather patterns. Warming from greenhouse gases is already disrupting ocean circulation systems, significantly impacting climate change. If Antarctic temperatures rise and glaciers rapidly diminish, the Earth’s heat transfer may become inefficient, potentially leading to more frequent droughts and heatwaves.
Fourth, the potential for disputes over securing Antarctic resources increases. While Antarctica is currently a neutral territory belonging to no nation, countries are competing to secure resources. This competition could turn Antarctica into a conflict zone, potentially causing international instability.
Fifth, if Antarctic resource development proceeds, interest and investment in alternative energy development are likely to decrease significantly. If resources buried in Antarctica are developed, the pace of renewable energy development will slow, which could negatively impact efforts to solve global warming.
Sixth, there is a risk that the Antarctic ecosystem could be destroyed by reckless development. Antarctica has a unique ecosystem and is considered a highly important subject for academic research. However, the deployment of icebreakers and oil drilling are already severely damaging the Antarctic ecosystem, potentially causing significant harm to the life forms inhabiting the region.
In conclusion, Antarctica is not only of academic value but also a crucial ecosystem that helps mitigate global warming and supports diverse life forms. However, Antarctic development could harm humanity, necessitating a gradual halt to such activities through careful and meticulous analysis.
