Five cities with the potential to alter how Antarctica will develop in the near future

The continent that is frozen in the middle of the earth is poised to be an area that is contesting zones on the planet or one of the most cooperative.

Antarctica is among four internationally recognized world commons alongside the atmosphere as well as the high seas, as well as outer space. These are all regions that the concept of the human common heritage has historically guided.

The continent is under the control of the Antarctic Treaty System, A complex set of agreements that were created to regulate the relations between states that have territorial claims and interests within the region. At present, the 29 nations are ” consultative parties” to the treaty. They show their commitment to Antarctica through significant scientific research in Antarctica.

Many states have extremely special and long-standing interests in Antarctica that do not just determine the national policy concerning engagement with the continent; they can also make it difficult to engage. Seven states have territorial claims to Antarctica, which include Chile, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile.

In 2007, the UK submitted a proposal 2007 to the United Nations to claim more than a million square km of seabeds. Then, in 2012, it changed the name of an area, Queen Elizabeth Land. Both events triggered tensions between Argentina and the UK. Argentina.

Despite ongoing disputes over the Antarctic and the increasing curiosity about its resources, this is also an opportunity of extraordinary opportunity for collaboration.

One example of this cooperation is establishing the largest marine protected zone within the Ross Sea in East Antarctica.

Get to know the five gateway cities.

What direction does Antarctica choose to follow? The answer could lie in five cities located in the planet’s deep south. Cape Town (South Africa), Christchurch (New Zealand), Hobart (Australia), Punta Arenas (Chile) as well as Ushuaia (Argentina).

These cities are among the ones with the highest connectivity to the Antarctic around the globe. They are officially recognized as international gateways through which the majority of traffic to the region flows. Every major interaction with an area of the Southern Polar Region is coordinated via them, but the competition for financial advantages that this traffic brings isn’t always positive.

We don’t often think about the significance urban centers have in the relationship between humanity and Antarctica, the world’s most bleak and extreme continent. In these cities, Antarctica has held a strong influence on urban culture from the 19th century onwards.

The five cities are all smaller in size and population and, apart from Cape Town, do not meet the criteria of a city that is globally oriented. But this could be changed if we look at their impact across the area; a large percentage of their residents work in the research and logistics industry. In addition, they are home to some of the most prestigious tourist, educational, and entertainment facilities within Antarctica. Antarctic region.

Ushuaia

Ushuaia ( population 67,600) is the capital city of Ushuaia, which is located in the Argentinean province known as Tierra del Fuego, Antarctic and South Atlantic Islands. It is often referred to in the title of being the southernmost city in the world.

The city is situated in the Beagle Channel and is located in a region that Yamana or Yaghan Indigenous people have inhabited for over 10,000 years.

Ships are able to sail into the harbor of Ushuaia, Argentina. Reuters

Because of its proximity to Antarctica, approximately 1000 kilometers in distance, Ushuaia is currently the most well-known gateway to Antarctic tourism, taking in more than 90 percent of the more than 35,000 visitors who annually travel to Antarctica. Antarctic. However, it is yet to establish the base for any of the national Antarctic research programs.

Since 2007, Ushuaia has hosted the 2007 Biennial of Art and Contemporary at the Bottom of the World. This international arts festival has the theme “Think at the end of the world, another world is possible.”