Antarctica Examined: Part V

Antarctica Connection V: Water

Pressing Challenge:
For the final installment of our Antarctica blog series we return to the basics: water. Scientists estimate that the southernmost continent contains approximately 70 percent of the world’s fresh water reserves. Frozen in icecaps that cover 98 percent of Antarctica, arctic water is an important yet often overlooked international policy issue.

The implications surrounding the use and preservation of water in the arctic are life-changing, both from a (1) humanitarian and (2) environmental standpoint. First, from a development perspective, the frozen icecaps present great opportunity. While Antarctica has an abundance of water, almost one sixth of the world lacks access to this irreplaceable commodity. GSI’s Global Water Futures project notes that today 884 million people are cutoff from clean, safe drinking water. Even more, over 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation facilities. Thousands of miles from the icecaps millions are dying of thirst. The water crisis is truly a global problem. Antarctica could offer a global solution.

Second, the polar icecaps present another enormous problem for our environment. Global warming is already melting Antarctica’s ice reserves. Scientists predict changing environmental conditions have caused global sea levels to rise between 4 and 8 inches over the last 100 years. This problem is growing exponentially. Just ask Al Gore!

Today, the challenge of managing water beneath the 60th parallel is pressing. Water in Antarctica has both productive (e.g. providing water to the developing world) and destructive (e.g. melting icecaps and rising sea levels) capabilities. Now we must ask if and when we should use the polar waters and how we can do so to benefit all of mankind.

Strategic Response:
Antarctica’s water challenges provide opportunities for long-ranging, innovative thinking. On the issue of humanitarian assistance, global leaders must determine whether it is feasible to use the natural water resources on Antarctica to solve the world’s water shortage. Currently, shipping water from Antarctica is impractical (see last week’s article about the cost of transporting fuel in the arctic). Many policymakers would laugh at the idea. However, there may come a time when the world looks south to sustain its burgeoning water demands. Antarctica may provide a long-term solution.

On the challenge of global warming, the continent has already catalyzed forward-thinking approaches to understanding climate change. Scientists are engaged in the study of global warming, conducting field research across the Antarctic continent. Aided by improved communications networks and advanced technology, these scientists are mapping the retreat and thinning of Antarctica’s sea and glacial ice. They are measuring global warming from the land, sea, and sky. They have embraced the challenge and are pioneering a solution. The crisis is causing a coordinated, strategic response.

Antarctica Case Study: Conclusion

This past week I have attempted to underscore the dual nature of Antarctica: challenge and promise. From controlling resources in the frozen tundra to governing the global commons to managing water at the bottom of the world, the southernmost continent offers huge problems for the international community. However, at the same time Antarctica’s mystery holds great promise. Scientists and engineers have tapped into the continent to learn much about the rest of the world. They have utilized Antarctica as a catalyst to innovate, explore, and understand. Antarctica truly is a global science lab for solving the world’s global challenges.