The World - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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The World

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Antarctica is 'a natural reserve devoted to peace and science' ... Maps of Antarctica need updating regularly because of the changes to the coastline ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: The World


1
The Worlds Last Great Wilderness (Antarctica)
  • Dr Julian Paren
  • Schools Liaison Officer
  • British Antarctic Survey
  • Talk at RGS 8 February 2001

2
The 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

3
The 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

4
The Antarctic Treaty
  • Antarctica is a natural reserve devoted to peace
    and science
  • The Antarctic Treaty manages the regions
    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

5
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!

6
Home 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
  • Mans footprint on Antarctica is practically
    invisible
  • More pollution enters the region through the
    atmosphere than is generated there (DDT, CFCs )

7
Antarctic 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

8
Antarctica 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

9
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

10
The 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

11
Antarctic 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

12
Future 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

13
Antarctic 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

14
Antarctic 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

15
Feedback 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

16
Future 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

17
Resources 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)

18
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