Radio Script
1998

__________________

Antarctic Treaty
__________________

STORY: Antarctica is thought to hold vast reserves of oil and minerals. Yet the international community recently put aside monetary gain to make the Antarctic off-limits to such development.

The Environmental Protection Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty prohibits mining and oil drilling for the next 50 years. It also establishes rules for pollution and waste disposal on the frozen continent.

Beth Clark directs the Antarctica Project, an environmental group based in Washington, D.C. She says the agreement will have an immediate impact on scientific outposts, some of which have been accumulating trash for decades.

CLARK: "Not only have there not been any environmental standards, but many of the scientific bases were pretty much resembling large garbage dumps."

Under the treaty, they will have to clean up the backlog of waste and stop dumping raw sewage into the sea. The agreement also regulates the continent's growing tourism industry.

Twenty-six countries with Antarctic research stations, including the United States, have signed the treaty, which took effect in January.

OUTRO: For Arctic Science Journeys, this is Robert Hannon.