Despite these looming threats, Bergstrom says biosecurity is not the biggest danger facing Antarctic wilderness. “Tourists can mitigate [biosecurity risks] bringing new clothes to Antarctica,” she said, “but we know the carbon impact is a real issue.”
The distance most visitors travel to reach Antarctica makes carbon emissions a serious problem. The average carbon emissions per person for a tourist in Antarctica is 3.76 tonnes, approximately the total amount an individual typically generates over the course of an entire year.
Studies have shown that on the Antarctic Peninsula, home to popular landing sites such as Cuverville Island in Neko Harbor, snow has a higher concentration of black carbon from ship exhaust. , which absorbs more heat and accelerates snow melting.
One study calculated that between 2016 and 2020, each tourist melted about 83 tons of snow, largely due to cruise ship emissions.
Antarctica is vulnerable not only because of the fragility of its environment, but also because of the lack of a single governing body. The Antarctic Treaty, created in 1961 to provide governance for the continent, operates on a consultative basis, meaning all 56 parties must agree before any change can be implemented.
“The last big decision in tourism was a measure passed in 2009 that banned cruise ships carrying more than 500 passengers from docking,” Christian explained. This regulation has still not been officially implemented because not all signatory countries have ratified it at the national level. It was nonetheless adopted by IAATO, which also restricts the number of ships that can visit a given site per day as well as the number of passengers that can disembark at any one time.
“IAATO tends to be a leader in this area because it is much more responsive,” Bergstrom added. “What you can’t expect from them, as an industry body, is to cap the numbers.”