Environmental Protection in Antarctica
Environmental Protection is when policies and procedures are taken into action to help preserve the current state of a certain natural environment such as Antarctica. In Antarctica, the environmental protection policies and rules take place to help protect the last unspoiled wilderness in the world. But some may ask, why protect it? Those think that Antarctica is a vast, cold, dangerous wasteland that seems useless to the rest of the world, but the science and resources from Antarctica contributes to our world in more ways than we think.
Many Antarctic species have evolved in isolation from the rest of the world. Consequently, they have developed no means of defending themselves from the invasive species carried aboard ships. Rats are a particular danger and large numbers occur on islands that support seabird breeding colonies throughout the region. Feeding on chicks and eggs, the rats are devastating populations of albatross, petrel and other threatened species.
The southern ocean has become a dumping ground for rubbish since 1990. The plastic, fishing nets and hooks are the slow and painful death of thousands of mammals and birds each year.
The largest threat for not only Antarctica, but the whole world, is climate change.
With some parts of Antarctica experiencing significant ice retreat and collapse of ice caps along the Antarctic Peninsula, there can no longer be any doubt that the Antarctic is getting warmer. If the climate continues to warm, scientists predict that krill populations could be devastated, undermining the entire southern polar food chain.
Due to the damage man has done to this vast continent of ice, the Antarctica Environment Protocol or Madrid Protocol was created to help protect the continent of Antarctica. Before the Madrid Protocol was established, the area was polluted by large amounts of waste and garbage, burnt and thrown into the ocean and barges discharging oil into the surrounding ocean which affected the Antarctic
Many Antarctic species have evolved in isolation from the rest of the world. Consequently, they have developed no means of defending themselves from the invasive species carried aboard ships. Rats are a particular danger and large numbers occur on islands that support seabird breeding colonies throughout the region. Feeding on chicks and eggs, the rats are devastating populations of albatross, petrel and other threatened species.
The southern ocean has become a dumping ground for rubbish since 1990. The plastic, fishing nets and hooks are the slow and painful death of thousands of mammals and birds each year.
The largest threat for not only Antarctica, but the whole world, is climate change.
With some parts of Antarctica experiencing significant ice retreat and collapse of ice caps along the Antarctic Peninsula, there can no longer be any doubt that the Antarctic is getting warmer. If the climate continues to warm, scientists predict that krill populations could be devastated, undermining the entire southern polar food chain.
Due to the damage man has done to this vast continent of ice, the Antarctica Environment Protocol or Madrid Protocol was created to help protect the continent of Antarctica. Before the Madrid Protocol was established, the area was polluted by large amounts of waste and garbage, burnt and thrown into the ocean and barges discharging oil into the surrounding ocean which affected the Antarctic