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A-Level geography Changing places essay
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A-Level AQA Geography Changing places essay based off of practice quations from paper 2. A-Level A-grade student response.
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Compare the characteristics of the EAIS and the WAIS. (6 marks)The EAIS is the larger of the two Ice sheets that cover antarctica, it is also more stable and
thicker as a result of its size and colder, drier climate. The EAIS is losing ice mass at a rate of
57 billion tonnes per year due to rising global temperatures as a result of climate change. On
the other hand, the WAIS is the smaller of the two ice sheets and is less stable due to its thin
ice and warmer climate that experiences more precipitation than the EAIS. the West
Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing mass at an increasing rate of more than 150 cubic kilometres (36
cubic miles) of ice each year.
Summarise the key feature of the Atlantic Treaty System. (6 marks)
The primary purpose of the Antarctic Treaty is to ensure "in the interests of all mankind that
Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not
become the scene or object of international discord." This means that it bans military
activity and nuclear explosions and the disposal of nuclear waste. The treaty promotes
scientific research and the exchange of data whilst preventing any one country from
claiming Antarctica as their own territory by labelling it as a global common. The ATS also
includes the protection of marine life and the environment within Antarctica by preventing
overfishing and tourism in the area.
Discuss why the regulation of mineral activities in Antarctica is a very controversial issue.
(9 marks)
Antarctica has a fragile environment that is easily influenced to change through human activity. An
example of this can be seen in the increased melting of both the EAIS and WAIS as a result of high
global temperature that have been caused by climate change.
One reason as to why mineral activities in Antarctica is so controversial is due to its impact on the
environment and its contribution t climate change. The extraction of minerals from Antarctica such
as seabed mining of polymetallic nodules, silver, copper, or gold causes great disruption to the
ecosystem within Antarctica as the minerals are located beneath the two ice sheets that cover
Antarctica. This means that in order to access the minerals, the ice sheet would have to be drilled
through or the exposed area around the ice sheets known as the active layer would be exploited.
This is controversial as by drilling the ice sheet damage is being caused to the already vulnerable ice
and an increase in melting and separation could occur. Additionally, by exploiting the active layer for
minerals, emissions of greenhouse gasses such as CO2 and Methane would increase as they are
released from pockets within the permafrost of the active layer. The emission of these greenhouse
gasses would result in a greater enhanced greenhouse effect and cause global temperatures to
increase further. This would have a negative impact on Antarctica as the increased temperatures
would lead to increased melting of both ice sheets, thus expositing more of the active layer and
releasing more greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite the environmental consequences of mineral activity in Antarctica however, some view the
mining for minerals as a huge opportunity that is necessary for the economy as natural resources
and rare metals are becoming scarce, thus meaning that the manufacturing of goods that require
these materials is becoming harder to achieve as the materials are finite. Because of this some
governments and influential businesses want to promote mining in Antarctica so they can access
these rare minerals and use it to increase manufacturing of their goods.
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