| al continent of Antarctica, from its massive | | | | There is a sheet of ice covering the land that |
| mountains to the seas replete with blue whales, | | | | averages approximately one mile in thickness. The |
| emperor penguins and leopard seals, is, by means | | | | land is only seen near the shores where some |
| of international agreement, classified as a | | | | plant life survive, like moss and grass. The ice on |
| wilderness preserve. This agreement has been in | | | | the continent accounts for 70% of the Earth's |
| effect since 1998. Plus, mining and oil drilling have | | | | fresh water. It is encircled by a rich web of |
| been banned in this region for 50 years. This is | | | | whales, sea birds, fish and seals. |
| the coldest place on Earth and is the most pristine | | | | While it's one of the coldest places on this earth, it |
| ecosystem around. It has been agreed that this | | | | is also the most fragile. Not a lot of growth |
| continent be used for conservation and science, | | | | occurs in the intense cold. It can take years for |
| not for development. Dogs and pesticides are | | | | the area to recover from any disturbances. As an |
| prohibited by these policies, including other threats | | | | illustration, a footprint left behind in some moss |
| to the wildlife. | | | | could stay there for 10 or more years. |
| This accord is entitled the Environment Protection | | | | The original Antarctic Treaty, executed in 1959, |
| Protocol and is part of the Antarctica treaty. | | | | prohibited nuclear tests and any military |
| Fundamentally, it is a stipulation by the countries | | | | maneuvers in the area. Antarctica was then |
| of the world to preserve one location without | | | | declared to be neutral territory where international |
| commercialism and industrial development. The | | | | research could occur. Even though Antarctica can |
| leading 26 nations that had scientific interest in the | | | | not be owned by any nation, there are some |
| area approved the treaty in 1991. These nations | | | | countries which claim to own every square inch of |
| include the United States, Russia, India, China, | | | | it. |
| Brazil, Argentina, Japan and most nations in | | | | In the beginning of the 1980s, environmentalists |
| Europe. | | | | began lobbying for conservation laws once |
| The agreement ended the more than 15 years of | | | | scientists located offshore oil reserves and |
| diplomatic discussions and lobbying by | | | | deposits of coal, copper, gold, iron, zinc, |
| environmental groups by codifying regulations. | | | | manganese, uranium and various other minerals. |
| According to the rules of the treaty, the 35 | | | | When oil became scarce in the 1970's, a few |
| scientific facilities based in Antarctica are required | | | | organizations began talking about extracting oil |
| to take care of their garbage. The scientific | | | | from Antarctica. The interest in mining and drilling |
| outposts and cruise ships are prohibited from the | | | | will probably increase as technology advances and |
| disposal of raw sewage into the sea around | | | | oil prices increase. |
| Antarctica. | | | | The twenty-six nations that formed the |
| The first person to get to the South Pole was | | | | agreement will independently enforce the |
| Norwegian Roald Amundsen in 1911 and he used | | | | regulations. Should one country's citizens violate |
| sled dogs to get around. However, this recent | | | | any of the rules and its government will not |
| treaty has placed a ban on dogs, based on their | | | | mediate the situation, other nations will put |
| tendency to kill native birds and penguins. Soil that | | | | pressure on the government to solve it. That is |
| has not been sterilized, polystyrene packaging | | | | why may people view the treaty as an |
| materials, and pesticides are also banned in | | | | environmental victory. |
| Antarctica. | | | | |