Why is Antarctica Forbidden for Exploitation?

[cronus]

OK you've all these other continents which have life and what not on them but the cutting down of the Amazon rainforests no issue. So why is the only 100% dead continent beyond exploitation? It doesn't make sense...given the likely resources in coal and oil under the ice?

[Thinking Aloud]

Because it's so damned cold.

[JimC]

Pollution, particularly hydrocarbons from oil, do no break down quickly in cold conditions. Plus, the edge of Antarctica is vital habitat for penguins and seals on the ice, and the coastal seas are vital for krill production, which everything else depends on.

I think it's a pretty good idea to keep at least one major region as pristine as possible...

[Blind groper]

Could be a bit of a problem deciding who does the exploiting, since the whole continent is supposed to belong to humanity as a whole - not one nation or faction.

[cronus]

Could be a bit of a problem deciding who does the exploiting, since the whole continent is supposed to belong to humanity as a whole - not one nation or faction.

Very few nations have the technical expertise. There's little poorer or more backward nations would do if Russia went there and America is no longer the worlds policeman.

[pErvinalia]

I figure one day China will just waltz on down there and start drilling. No one is going to stop them.

[JimC]

I figure one day China will just waltz on down there and start drilling. No one is going to stop them.

You forget the combined might of the Anzac fleet...

[Tyrannical]

And all those tasty penguins just wandering around for the taking......

[Clinton Huxley]

Antarctica is sovereign British territory, everyone else is just there on sufferance.

[Svartalf]

Terre Adelie is obviously French, and the queen footkissers are entitled to suffer.

[Clinton Huxley]

Terre Adelie is obviously French, and the queen footkissers are entitled to suffer.

You're welcome to that bit, the wine from there is terrible...

[NineBerry]

The hidden Nazis in Neuschwabenland would protest and you don't want to trigger a world war with Nazis that have UFOs!

[Mysturji]

Pbecause p-p-p-penguins ptaste pterrible!

[piscator]

Because Libertarians aren't powerful enough to charge dumping fees.

[mistermack]

I think that the main problem has been that the penguins don't like whiskey, they aren't impressed by beads, and it would be too blatant to put them on a reservation, as they can't eat the snow.
And it would be hard to exterminate their food animals.

Even if there was someone called ''Krill Bill'', he would have a job making a rifle go off under water.