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Should we exploit the resources of the Antarctic be maintained?

by Guest45347  |  earlier

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Should we exploit the resources of the Antarctic be maintained?

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  1. There are three dimensions to the issue of utilization vs presersvation of the resources of Anartica:  (1) the economic aspects, (2) the political circumstances, and (3) the moral and ethical aspects.

    Excluding other considerations, people (businesses and governments) exploit resources when they can derive economic benefit.  That is, if you can get mineral X from another source less expensively than from Antarctica, people will exploit the other source first.  Because of logistic difficulties - distance, bad weather, etc - resources in the Antarctic land mass will be among the last that people will turn to.  This is not true of the ocean resources, which are already being heavily exploited by fishing fleets from around the world.

    The political divisions of Antarctica are complicated and there is a treaty under which all "owner" nations pledge cooperation under international law for scientific purposes.  This is a good subject for further investigation.  (I don't know much of the details.)

    Finally, there are possible moral and ethical constraints (some of which are embodied in the treaty).  People have a sense that Antarctica is an "unspoiled wilderness" that should be undisturbed by resource exploitation.  Preservation of antarctic biodiversity is a worthwhile goal, as demonstrated by the apparent viability of ecotourism there.  But it has always been a question as to whether the economic interests of owner-nations would someday trump the international cooperation that has so far limited resource exploitation in Antarctica.

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