Ice Melt in West Antarctica

A new study has pointed out that rapid melting of West Antarctica’s ice sheet due to warm waters around it, is now unavoidable, no matter how much carbon emissions are cut.

• It is the fifth-largest continent.
• It is larger than Europe and is twice the size of Australia.
• The continent is a high plateau that is frozen throughout the year.
• There is no coastal plain.
• There are mountain ranges, peaks, a rift valley, and volcanoes.
• Two broad inlets, the Weddell Sea and the Ross Sea and the Trans-
• Antarctic Mountains that cross the entire continent divide the land into West Antarctica and East Antarctica.
• The former faces the Pacific Ocean. The Antarctic Peninsula points towards South America. It is the continuation of the Andes Mountain range.
• East Antarctica, faces the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, Mount Erebus, an active volcano, is actually of the Ross Sea.
• It is the only continent that is completely covered by permanent ice and snow hence it is known as the white continent.
• In some places, its ice cap is 4,000 meters deep.
• The valleys between the mountain ranges are dry, windy, frozen and barren and strangely called oases.

Minerals

• Scientific studies have shown Antarctica to be rich in gold, platinum, nickel, copper, and petroleum.
• But by the international Agreement, this continent is to be used only by the scientists to study the climate of the Earth and the origin of its crust.
• About 70 percent of the Earth’s supply of freshwater can be extracted from the ice-caps of Antarctica.

Expeditions of Antarctica

• In 1912, a dramatic contest to reach the South Pole was held by two teams. The British team was led by Captain Robert F. Scott and the Norwegian team by Roald Amundsen.
• The five British men reached the pole only to find the Norwegian flag flying at the South Pole. They had been beaten by 34 days.
• Indian expedition to Antarctica had a 21 member team with Dr. S. Z.Quasim as its leader. It left Goa on the 6th of December 1981 and landed on the frozen continent on 9th January 1982.

• They set up a scientific station called Dakshin Gangotri laid plans for a second base called Maitri and named a point Mount Indira.
• They left automatic weather recorders powered by solar batteries at the stations.
• The South Pole is 2,250 kilometers away from Dakshin Gangotri.

The Antarctic Treaty

• The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve nations that had been active during the IGY (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, and USSR). The Treaty, which applies to the area south of 60° South latitude, is surprisingly short, but remarkably effective. Through this agreement, the countries active in Antarctica consult on the uses of a whole continent, with a commitment that it should not become the scene or object of international discord. In its fourteen articles the Treaty:
• stipulates that Antarctica should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes, military activities, such as the establishment of military bases or weapons testing, are specifically prohibited;
• guarantees continued freedom to conduct scientific research, as enjoyed during the IGY;
• promotes international scientific cooperation including the exchange of research plans and personnel, and requires that results of the research be made freely available;

• sets aside the potential for sovereignty disputes between Treaty parties by providing that no activities will enhance or diminish previously asserted positions with respect to territorial claims provides that no new or enlarged claims can be made, and makes rules relating to jurisdiction;
• prohibits nuclear explosions and the disposal of radioactive waste;
• provides for inspection by observers, designated by any party, of ships, stations and equipment in Antarctica to ensure the observance of, and compliance with, the Treaty;
• requires parties to give advance notice of their expeditions; provides for the parties to meet periodically to discuss measures to further the objectives of the Treaty; and
• puts in place a dispute settlement procedure and a mechanism by which the Treaty can be modified.

What is an ice sheet?

• Ice sheet - An ice sheet is essentially a mass of glacial ice that covers more than 50,000 square kilometres of land.
• Ice sheets contain about 99% of the fresh water on Earth, and are sometimes called continental glaciers.
• Major ice sheets include
  • Antarctica ice sheet- World’s largest volume of land-based ice
  • Greenland ice sheet
• Ice shelf- As ice sheets extend to the coast and over the ocean, they become ice shelves.
• Ice cap- A mass of glacial ice covering less area than an ice sheet is called an ice cap.
• Ice field- A series of connected ice caps is called an ice field.
• Individual glaciers- They make up the ice fields, ice caps, and eventually ice sheets.
• Sea ice – It is the free-floating ice that surrounds the polar regions created by sea water freezing.

Recent study about?

The study, ‘Unavoidable future increase in West Antarctic ice-shelf melting over the twenty-first century’, quoted the reasons for the rapid ice melt in West Antarctica.

• The scientists have used a high-resolution computer model of the Amundsen Sea, the most vulnerable sector of the ice sheet, to provide comprehensive assessment of warming in West Antarctica.

Findings - Amundsen Sea will warm roughly 3 times faster than the historical rate through the rest of this century leading to much more rapid melting of ice shelves.

• The study worsens the outlook for Thwaites Glacier that is rapidly melting beneath its connected ice shelf.
• The processes triggered by faster ice shelf melting could lead to the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
• If lost completely, the ice sheet would raise the global mean sea level by 5.3 metres or 17.4 feet, a devastating consequence for people living in coastal cities across the world, including in India.

How the West Antarctic ice sheet is melting?

The Antarctic ice sheet contains enough ice to raise global sea-levels by about 58m (190ft) if it melted entirely. Of this, a sizeable portion enough to raise sea-levels by around 5m (16ft), is held in West Antarctica.

• Ocean currents - Strengthening of ocean currents drives more warm water from the deep ocean towards the shallower ice shelves along the coast.
• Thinning of ice shelf- If an ice shelf thins or disappears, these glaciers tend to speed up, discharging more ice into the ocean and causing sea level rise.
• The region’s ice shelves have been depleting, glaciers have been flowing faster towards the ocean and the ice sheet has been shrinking.
• Thwaites glacier is referred as the "doomsday glacier" because it would raise global sea-levels by around 65cm if it collapses entirely.

Draft Indian Antarctic Bill 2022

Recently, the government has introduced the ‘Antarctic Bill’ in the Lok Sabha, which envisages regulating visits and activities to Antarctica as well potential disputes that may arise among those present on the continent.

• The Bill is applicable to Indian citizens as well as foreign citizens.
• In October 2021, India extended its support for protecting the Antarctic environment and for co-sponsoring the proposal of the European Union for designating East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
• Earlier, a 100-km long body of ice in Antarctica, which has been experiencing rapid melting, was formally named Glasgow after the Glasgow climate summit.

Provisions under the Bill?

Regulate Visiting: The bill has listed strict guidelines and a system of permits, which will be issued by a government-appointed committee, without which any expedition or individual will not be allowed to enter Antarctica.

The bill has provision to establish a committee on Antarctic governance and environmental protection to monitor, implement and ensure compliance with the relevant international laws, emissions standards and rules of protection.

Protecting Mineral Resources: The Bill further prohibits drilling, dredging, excavation or collection of mineral resources or even doing anything to identify where such mineral deposits occur. The only exception is for scientific research with a permit.

Protecting Native Plants: There will be strict prohibition on damaging native plants, flying or landing helicopters or operating vessels that could disturb birds and seals, using firearms that could disturb the birds and animals, remove soil or any biological material native to Antarctica, engage in any activity that could adversely change the habitat of birds and animals, or harm them.

Prohibition on introducing Birds not Native to Antarctica: Introduction of animals, birds, plants or microscopic organisms that are not native to Antarctica are also prohibited. Violators can face imprisonment as well as penalties.

Provisions for Indian Tour Operators: The Bill also provides for Indian tour operators to be able to operate in Antarctica after acquiring a permit. There are 40 permanent research stations in Antarctica of which two – Maitri and Bharati — are Indian.

Objective of the Bill?

To provide a harmonious policy framework for India’s Antarctic activities through a well-established legal mechanism, facilitate activities of the Indian Antarctic programme, including management of Antarctic tourism and sustainable development of fisheries.

What is the Need of Such Law?

To Fulfill Provisions under the Antarctica Treaty: India had been a signatory to the Antarctica Treaty since 1983 and that encumbered India to specify a set of laws governing portions of the continent where it had its research bases. The Treaty made it mandatory for the 54 signatory countries to specify laws governing territories on which their stations are located.

Preserve the Pristine Nature of the Continent: India is also signatory to treaties such as the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Both the conventions enjoin India to help preserve the pristine nature of the continent.

Antarctica is uninhabited except for those manning the nearly 40 permanent stations established by several countries, including India, for carrying out scientific research. India maintains two research stations on the continent: ‘Maitri’ (commissioned in 1989) at Schirmacher Hills and ‘Bharati’ (2012) at Larsemann Hills.