We are hearing more and more about stress, and threats to the Arctic, but not so much about Antarctica.
Most people would tend to think because the Antarctic is so distant and cold, that it’s a pristine environment and relatively safe from problems elsewhere, but that’s not the case.
A new report seeks to raise awareness about the many threats, both current and looming, that face this southern polar region.
Peter Stoett (PhD) is a co-author of the study. He is a professor of International Relations, Department of Political Science, and Director of the Loyala Sustainability Research Centre, Concordia University, Montreal
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The Antarctic tends to be left out of many of the world’s discussions about environment and biodiversity. The new report seeks to change that.
“What we do here, has an impact there” Peter Stoett
The international study involved researchers from Canada, Australia, Monaco, Norway, the U.S.A., the U.K., New Zealand, and Spain. It was published in the science journal PlosOne Biology under the title, “Antarctica and the strategic plan for biodiversity”. (HERE)
The international group focused on 20 biodiversity targets – known as the Aichi Targets – set by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to help assess progress in halting global biodiversity loss.
Stoett notes that the Antarctic doesn’t fall under the CBD.
Their study marks the first time the Aichi targets have been applied to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, areas that together account for around 10 per cent of the planet’s surface.
In assessing their findings, professor Stoett said the situation was “pretty grim”.
The report notes that many of the pollution issues, created elsewhere have found and are finding their way to the fragile Antarctic ecosystems, These include airborne persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to microplastics, and how they may be comprising all forms of life and possibly entering the food chain.
The report notes that many of the pollution issues challenging Antarctic biodiversity have been created elsewhere and have found, and are finding, their way to the fragile Antarctic ecosystems. These range from persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to marine litter such as microplastics, which may be compromising all forms of life and possibly entering the food chain.
Professor Stoett also points out that increased tourism to the area, even though mostly on ships cruising through, brings its own level of concern, from waste and grey water discharge, to ship accidents and sinkings with subsequent pollution in this extremely delicate environment where clean up is extremely difficult at best, to impossible at worst, and where effects can be severe and long lasting.
” We rely on the polar regions to help regulate the earth’s climate. Messing with these ecosystems is a very short-sighted thing for us to be doing” Peter Stoett
Overfishing and illegal fishing are also an increasing concern in an area little controlled.
Recently there has been a great increase in commercial catch of krill, due to increase popularity and commercialization of Omega 3, a byproduct of krill processing. Stoett says as krill are almost at the bottom of the food chain, this activity can have severe repercussions on other fish, seabirds, and whales.
The report concludes that there is a perception that current management of the Antarctic constitutes a high standard for conservation management. The findings however suggest that is not quite the case. The findings suggest that a multilateral biodiversity conservation strategy is also needed.
Such a strategy should present clear goals and would also deal with upcoming questions such as bio-prospecting and the affects of continued climate change and ocean acidification. A recentley established marine conservation area in the Ross Sea is a positive start it says, but adds that much more needs to be done.
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