Antarctica is like no place on earth.
The “White Continent” lured explorers and scientists in his stunning, inlaid landscape for two centuries. The countries tried to sculpt Antarctica and secular claims, but no one is the owner.
For 65 years Antarctica – which is one and a half times larger than Canada – was regulated by the Treaty of Nations. But with the growing geopolitical tensions and the changing world order, this management system is now under pressure.
“Antarctic Treaty It is under considerable stress and burden, probably entering the worst period ever experienced, “said Klaus Dodds, a professor at Royal Holloway College at the University of London.
Bogus through 12 nations At the peak of the Cold War, the Antarctic Treaty froze the claims of the countries to the territory and retained the continent “science and peace”.
“First of all, the Antarctic Treaty is a weapon control treaty,” said Dodds, a political geographer with specialist knowledge in Antarctica. He said that the treaty was “extremely important” because “he announced that the Antarctic continent and the ocean zone without nuclear weapons.”
Interestingly, the treaty operated mainly for over sixty years. But after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the increased respect of US President Donald Trump towards Moscow, the consensus among the members of the treaty is becoming more and more difficult.
“Before the full invasion of Ukraine through Russia, there was some cooperation between key countries,” said Evan Bloom, previously deputy Secretary of State of the US responsible for Arctic and Antarctica. “Currently, there is less cooperation in the poles (northern and southern).”
“Until maybe a few years ago, we talked about the Arctic as a place of relative stability and about the Antarctic Treaty as part of peace and stability. Now both assumptions are questioned, “said David Hik, the main scientist of Polar Canada, during an interview at Punta Areas, in which Canada recently signed a contract with Chile to strengthen Antkar cooperation.
The first Antarctic Mission of the All-Canadian
Over 16,000 kilometers from Canada Antarctida plays a key role in climate regulation in the world and help slowing global warming. Already It is already undergoing huge changes, including record temperatures and record low ice levels.
Margaret Brooke, Arctic and Offshore, Canadian Navy, sailed to Antarctica last weekend on an unprecedented mission, supporting a team of 15 Canadian scientists for two weeks of research.
The Navy is in strict conditions, as it works in 60. Parallel in the south, round latitude, which includes the South Ocean and the South Pole. The Antarctic Treaty prohibits all military activities except for the support of scientific search or operations at research stations.
“We have no aspect of sovereignty in Antarctica. Our mandate is not here at all, “said Teri Share, commander of HMCS Margaret Brooke.
“We did everything possible, basically the lack of painting of a white and red ship, to really make sure that we are perceived as cooperating and helping to support a scientific work, and not here as a war ship with a quote.”
There is no settlement outside of scientific bases. The political scale of every nation is measured by its scientific trace. Over 40 countries run research stations and summer camps.
The United States has by far the biggest trace, with McMurdo Research Station in the Ross Sea region, as well as two other permanent bases, one just at the South Pole. Great Britain, Australia, Germany and Japan also have solid Antarctic programs.
Russia has five permanent smaller bases and a handful of summer camps. China explained the ambitions more investing in Antarctica, building a new modern base, Quinling-her third year-round station, next to two seasonal stations.
“It is worth remembering that there is a reason why China has established five Antarctic stations. It is prepared, like Russia, to potentially claim (territory), if it had to or thought it was beneficial, “said Klaus Dodds.
Even Iran showed interest in the South Pole region. In an interview with the Iranian media controlled by Iranian, commander of the Iranian Navy, the rear Admiral Shahram Irani, said that his country was planning Build a fixed base thereSaying: “This is not only military work, but also scientific work that should be done.”
Military activities forbade
Since the signing of the contract in 1959, the management of the Antarctica treaty has survived in Washington. However, there are new fears that technologies in some research bases in the strategic region of the South Pole have double application for scientific and military purposes.
“Countries are trying to find out if this is happening,” said Bloom, who is currently a global member of Wilson Center in Washington
The Antarctic Treaty prohibits military activities, except for the support of science and related Environmental protection protocol Signed in 1991, it prohibits the exploration of minerals.
“There is … the question of whether demilitarization will take place for the future and whether the prohibition of mining will take place,” said Bloom. “At the moment they are a very good thing.”
However, perspectives seem fragile, especially in the case of financing cuts at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), which supports Antarctic research. Managers were released-part of the efforts of Doge Elona Musk-in this one senior manager returning from his regular monthly work visits at McMurdo.
Scientists are currently working at American stations, they are worried about Trump The administration will reduce more employees and supportEspecially since a lot of their work refers to global warming, which Trump's team slandered.
Other He questioned the logic drawing resources from Antarctica, taking into account the growing strategic value of maintaining presence on the continent.
Competition over Krill
The voltage is also built over fishing rights set out in the related treaty managed by the Living Resources (CCAMLR) maritime resources.
At the CCAMLR meeting in Australia, October in China blocked the extension existing management means for Antarctica Krill, a key part of the Southern Ocean nutritional network.
Norway, China and South Korea are currently the best combines of Antarctica Krill.
Russia and China vetoed additional sea protected areas, the last of which was agreed in 2014. Only five percent of the Southern Ocean are currently protected.
“Countries such as China and Russia (they are) absolutely determined that the pursuit of maritime protection is so difficult on the one hand, and on the other, hell absorbed by absolutely their right to fish in areas that, as the fortress, are extremely valuable in terms of marine biodiversity,” said Dodds.
The limits of the amounts are not violated, but the Krill industry is growing, and Norway and China build new, technologically advanced boats that use continuous pumping technology to almost four times, which can collect a traditional ship.
“China explained, like their law, that they want to have more influential in the Antarctic Treaty system,” said Goldsworthy.
“They don't know where they want to go and how big they are. So they try to block everything that will stop them from doing it in the future. “
Canadian scientists collected sea water samples and sediments from the bay of Admiralty, Antarkctica in the hope of learning more about our changing climate, as part of the mission on board HMCS Margaret Brooke.
“We have to do something to keep it”
Political tensions also deal with Canada's ambitions in the Antarctic Treaties system. He signed the treaty in 1988, but he wants to raise his power to become a member of the vote, the so -called consultation party.
This is blocked, says Dodds.
“Over the past three or four years, the claim that Canada is a consultation party has been blocked primarily by Russia,” he said. This is because Russia wants its ally to be a consultation party with Canada, and the decision must be consistent.
“Canada publishes more scientific work in Antarctica than about two -thirds of consultation parties. So, in my opinion, this is an absolute parody of justice that Canada is not a consultation party, “said Dodds.
This month, the All-Canadian expedition to Antarctica is part of the efforts to build Canadian scientific diplomacy in the region, although it does not run its own research station, instead working with scientists from other countries.
The HMCS Margaret Brooke Science Team was invited to visit the Brazilian research station on the island of King George Island, which studies climate change on the continent.
“We are interested in glacial retreats because we have a lot of retreats here,” said Monica Petti, a Brazilian biologist working at the Brazilian station.
“When you come to Antarctica and see how beautiful it is, the feeling that we have to do something to keep it,” she said.
“Our world is now crazy. I think that Antarctica's treaty is a good example that it can work. We can live in peace and science in a better way. “