White Epirus does not even save her from tourism: Already at the forefront of climate change, the Antarctic There is now the stamp of mass tourism and human presence. In research, scientists reveal that traces of pollution are today ten times higher than forty years ago.
Within two decades, the flow of tourists to Antarctica was launched: by just 20,000 in the early 2000s to about 120,000 today, according to the International Antarctic Tourist Agencies. This increasing traffic is worried about scientists, who highlight the proliferation of polluting particles coming from ships and vehicles.
Toxic particles that accelerate melting
These residues contain mainly chromium, nickel, copper, zinc and lead. Ships carrying tourists burn fossil fuels, releasing snowstorms that tan the snow and accelerate its disappearance.
“In tourist areas, the snow layer melts faster because of these pollutants,” explains Raul Cordero, a researcher at the University of Groningen. According to him, only one visitor can contribute to the melting of about 100 tonnes of snow.
To measure the extent of the phenomenon, an international team of researchers traveled 2,000 kilometers in Antarctica over a four -year period. Their observations show that the scientific missions that are settled there are also burdened by the situation: their prolonged presence can have up to ten times greater impact than a tourist, Cordero notes.
Attempts not sufficient
The study recognizes certain steps of progress, such as the ban on heavy fuel or the growing use of hybrid ships. However, it calls for “acceleration of energy transition” and the maximum possible reduction in polluting fuels, especially close to sensitive areas.
According to NASA, the melting has been accelerated: Since 2002, Antarctica loses about 135 billion tonnes of ice and snow each year.