Deck 19: The Oceans and Human Affairs

Question 1

Most maritime cultures either are long gone or have been radically modified by others. Which elements of a rapidly changing maritime culture do you predict would be the first to disappear? Which would tend to remain unchanged the longest?

Answer 1

Humans are highly dependent on sea for different resources. These resources could be used for obtaining food, oil, and other raw material for industrial and domestic purposes. The greed and carelessness of humans have lead to the mass destruction of different ecologies. It is important to exploit the available resources reasonably without completely destroying the region. They have negatively impacted the ecology of the area.
The marine cultures are rapidly getting modified due to increased development and technology. The clothes, toys, sports, and food used by the individuals of the earlier culture would the first material to disappear from the culture. Other elements such as religion and language may seem irreplaceable, but eventually these will change only after a very long period.

Question 2

Ecotourism has lately become popular in Antarctica. Nobody lives there permanently, so what are the positive aspects of such a development? Do these outweigh any pollution problems? What can be done?

Answer 2

Perhaps the only positive result of ecotourism in Antarctica is that participants should reflect on the ecological significance of the continent, primarily on its unique biodiversity. These positive aspects cannot outweigh the problem of pollution. One possible solution is to nsure that education of the participants is the main objective of trips to Antarctica.

Question 3

The Fourth United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea made no provisions for Antarctica. Some of the land is probably rich in resources like oil, so the eventual exploitation of the land is probably inevitable. Several nations have already established claims, sometimes overlapping each other, to sections off the continent. How would you deal with these claims? Would you give first preference to nations, like Argentina or New Zealand, that claim geographic proximity to the continent or to those, like Norway or Britain, that arrived at the claimed land first? How can resources be exploited if it is decided that the land does not belong to any particular nation?

Answer 3

Humans are highly dependent on sea for different resources. These resources could be used for obtaining food, oil, and other raw material for industrial and domestic purposes. The greed and carelessness of humans have lead to the mass destruction of different ecologies. They have negatively impacted the ecology of the area.
The question is based on the claim made on the rights of exploitation of raw material available in the continent. It is generally ethical for the country closer to the continent to have rights of using the resources. Such condition could ensure that the country could maintain its culture and economy.
On the contrary, if it is hypothesized that any country could use the resources, it could initiate wars among the different nations for the available resources. It could be harmful for the economy as well as the ecology of the region. Both the conditions do not support the theory of material sharing. Therefore, it could be much beneficial if the countries could together ensure the maintenance and exploitation of the resources in a sustainable manner.