We do not really think much about the frozen continent at the bottom of the earth, but it is a great resource

for all of us on the planet.

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Ninety percent of the

worlds ice is held on the continent of Antarctica. Seventy percent of the worlds fresh water is held in that ice. If we make Antarctica a commercial enterprise, we risk drawing down that money in the bank that we all have for our most precious resource: water.

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The Antarctic Treaty, the

one that prevents mineral/oil exploration, went into effect in 1991 and lasts into 2041. It makes sure that no one can build hotels or mine minerals or look for petroleum. If the treaty doesnt get extended, various countries will fight for their claims. Like the war in the Falkland Islands, it will not go well for someone.

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There is a very fragile eco-system.
When the whales were over-fished, it had a cascading

effect. Basically, whale poop feeds the plankton, much like fertilizer helps plants. The krill eat the plankton, the penguins eat the krill, the seals eat the penguins, the whales eat the seals and the circle of life is complete. Take one thing, such as whales, out of the equation and the circle of life goes out of balance.

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Antarctica is full of new

discoveries. The Russians found a huge lake under one of the ice shelves. There is also a mountain range the size of the Alps under one of the glaciers. Unlike the North Pole, which is total ice and no land, Antarctica is a real continent about the size of Australia.

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The Western Antarctic

Peninsula has warmed 2.8 degrees Celsius in the last 50 years. That warming led to the loss of the Larson Ice shelf. The frozen fresh water will never come back again.

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Antarctica has no permanent

residents. It is the one place in the world that is owned by no one and is owned by everyone. During the summer months (now), the population based in research stations is about 4,000. It goes way down to 1,000 in the winter months. Before 1900s,no one even lived in Antarctica on a temporary basis. The first research base began in 1904. Tourist ships did not come to Antarctica until the 1960s.

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There are really no

land animals (penguins and seals are not land animals) on Antarctica. The largest land animal is an insect. It is the wingless midge, less the half of an inch.

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Robert Swan was the first

human to walk both poles. He did this by age 33. At that time, there was a large hole in the ozone layer, and he was not prepared for it. His eyes changed color due to the exposure to that open ozone layer. He was so overwhelmed by what he saw with climate change and the need to preserve the continent that he began the group 2041.com to make sure that the treaty gets extended.

Antarctica is important to everyone. Lets keep it so it belongs to everyone and no one. It is a moral imperative for our survival.

Thank You