There is an international agreement that protects the entire continent of Antarctica. This includes every thing from the mountain ranges to the seas full of blue whales, emperor penguins, and leopard seals. This agreement has been in effect since 1998. Plus, mining and oil drilling have been banned in this region for 50 years. This is the coldest place on Earth and is the most pristine ecosystem around. It has been agreed that this continent be used for conservation and science, not for development. The accord also bans a great number of potential dangers to its wildlife, such as dogs and pesticides.
The treaty is known as the Environmental Protection Protocol to the Antarctica Treaty. In this protocol, every major nation in the world is required to refrain from developing anything industrial or commercial in one area. The treaty was approved in 1991 by 26 leading nations including the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, Argentina, Brazil and most major European countries who had interests in the area.
Prior to the signing of the treaty, lobbyists from environmental organizations had worked for fifteen years to discuss and formulate the regulations outlined in the accord. In addition to prohibiting oil exploration and mining, the rules mandate that nations involved in the thirty-five scientific outposts remove all their waste and clean up their dumps. Raw sewage is not allowed anywhere near the waters of Antarctica, even from tourist vessels.
Sled dogs were how explorers like Norwegian's Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole in 1911. However, the accord prohibits dogs specifically since recently some scientists' pets were known to have killed penguins and other native birds. In addition, pesticides, polystyrene components, and contaminated dirt cannot be transported to Antarctica.
There is land on Antarctica, but it's hidden under a mile of ice, and the amount of plant life found there is minimal. This ice holds 70% of the globe's freshwater reserves. In the waters that surround the continent, seals, fish, aquatic birds, and whales thrive.
You won't find a more environmentally preserved environment than Antarctica. Growth is extremely slow in constant sub zero temperatures. Recovering from trauma can take years. For instance, the single impression of a foot in a mossy outcropping may be preserved for ten years.
The original treaty, which was signed in 1959, also banned any military activity and nuclear testing near the Arctic area. Rules for research were established and Antarctica was declared to be owned by no nation. In spite of the treaty that protects the non-ownership of Antarctica, one country claims to own nearly the entire continent.
Scientists discovered offshore oil reserves as well as coal, copper, gold, zinc, iron and other minerals in the early 1980s prompting some conservationists to push for laws to protect the resources. When the world saw an energy crisis in the 1970s, many companies considered drilling in Antarctica. Increases in the price of oil and advances in technology will intensify these interests.
Each of the 26 nations involved will enforce the rules on their own. If one country has a person that goes against the rules there will be pressure from the other nations for that nation to rectify the problem. Many are in agreement that the treaty constitutes an environmental success story.
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