The Global Common and Into Antartica

Question 1

Name the global commons

Answer 1

High seas/deep oceans, atmosphere, north/south polar regions and outer space

Question 2

What is the tragedy of the commons?

Answer 2

A phrase used to refer to the conflict for resources between individual interests and the common good

Question 3

Give a problem of the high seas/deep ocean and a law to protect it

Answer 3

Overfishing. UNEP - International Maritime organisation and regional seas convention

Question 4

Give a problem of the atmosphere and a law to protect it

Answer 4

Climate change. UNEP - Paris Agreement 2015

Question 5

Give a problem of outer space and a law to protect it

Answer 5

Space debris - Treaty on Principles governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and USE of Outer Space

Question 6

Give a problem of the polar regions and a law to protect it?

Answer 6

Loss of wilderness - Antarctic Treaty System (ATS)

Question 7

Which ocean surrounds Antartica?

Answer 7

Southern Ocean

Question 8

What happens at the Antarctic Convergence zone?

Answer 8

Cold, northward flowing waters from the Antarctic meet with warmer sub-antarctic waters.

Question 9

What species are found at the ACZ?

Answer 9

Antarctic Krill

Question 10

Describe Antartica’s location

Answer 10

South of the Antarctic Circle, exception of East Antarctic Coastline and Antarctic Peninsula which extends northwards from the West to about 63 degrees South.

Question 11

What % of Antartica is covered by glacial ice?

Answer 11

97%

Question 12

Which divides Western and Eastern Antartica?

Answer 12

Transantartic Mountains (peaks over 400m)

Question 13

What is the average temperature in Antartica?

Answer 13

-49 degrees C

Question 14

What is the mean annual precipitation?

Answer 14

Less than 50mm per year

Question 15

What are the mean annual wind speeds?

Answer 15

50mph, gales can reach 200mph

Question 16

hat are high mountain peaks with areas of rock emerging from ice sheets called?

Answer 16

Nunataks

Question 17

How many fur seals were wiped out in 3 years?

Answer 17

300,000 (virtually extinct)

Question 18

Why was whaling popular?

Answer 18

Highly profitable products (meat/bone meal)

Question 19

Whaling in the Southern Ocean began in earnest in the early 1900s, how much of the World’s catch was from the Southern Ocean in 1910?

Answer 19

50%

Question 20

What does the IWC stand for and when was it set up/when did they first meet?

Answer 20

International Whaling Commission
1946 set up/met in 1949

Question 21

What did the IWC lead to?

Answer 21

1986 - Whaling moratorium (suspend all whaling)

Question 22

What did the IWC set up in 1994?

Answer 22

Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary - 50 million square km around Antartica - banned all whaling (whale numbers slowly increasing)

Question 23

What has now replaced whaling in the area?

Answer 23

Fishing - especially krill

Question 24

What is CCAMLR and when did it come into force?

Answer 24

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources - 1982

Question 25

How much have krill numbers dropped by since the 1970s (fishing and CC) affecting the food web?

Answer 25

about 80%

Question 26

How much have temperatures in Western Antartica risen by in the last 50 years?

Answer 26

3 degrees

Question 27

How much has the Southern Ocean warmed by?

Answer 27

1 degree

Question 28

What has happened to penguin colonies?

Answer 28

Change in their distribution

Question 29

Why is Eastern Antartica gaining sea ice?

Answer 29

Sea ice is a thin layer which can be blown westerly by wind and can expand by bonding with other ice sheets (more snowfall).

Question 30

What is ocean acidification?

Answer 30

CO2 released causes carbonic acid which makes the oceans become less alkaline

Question 31

What is banned in Antartica? What happened in the 1960s-70 linked to this?

Answer 31

Mining - some members secretly tried to formulate a new mineral convention for future exploitation.

Question 32

What are the main human threats?

Answer 32

Tourism and Scientific Research

Question 33

When did expeditions begin and how many passengers are allowed?

Answer 33

1958, 50-100 passengers

Question 34

What % of the 200 landing sites surveyed showed wear and tear?

Answer 34

only 5%

Question 35

What are captains required to follow?

Answer 35

Linbald plan and IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators).

Question 36

What is SCAR?

Answer 36

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

Question 37

What are the main successes?

Answer 37

Whaling and mining

Question 38

What are the main concerns?

Answer 38

Fishing and climate change

Question 39

What is the ATS and when was it first signed?

Answer 39

Antarctic Treaty System - 1959 (12 nations)

Question 40

Where does the ATS apply to?

Answer 40

Area south of 60 degrees south

Question 41

When did the ATS come into force?

Answer 41

June 1961

Question 42

What is the ATS seen as?

Answer 42

The most successful international agreement

Question 43

How many members are in the ATS now?

Answer 43

52 countries

Question 44

What year was the Madrid Protocol (Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty) and what did it ban officially?

Answer 44

1991 - banned mining and introduced species (protects environment)

Question 45

What was the loophole in the IWC moratorium?

Answer 45

Japan 'scientifically' caught whales ended up in restaurants (one whale $1,000,000) market value.

Question 46

Which NGO had an impact in the Madrid Protocol?

Answer 46

Greenpeace

Question 47

What are carried out to monitor the ATS?

Answer 47

Environmental audits and environmental impact assessments

Question 48

What is ASOC?

Answer 48

Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition - 30 NGOs founded in 1978

Question 49

Why was the ATS needed?

Answer 49

Avoid disagreement/conflict/resolve territory issues/establish guidelines

Question 50

How many articles are there in the ATS?

Answer 50

14