Antarctica

Written by Dr Barbara Wienecke, Dr Andrew Klekociuk and Dr Dirk Welsford

tunapri Palawa milangkani milaythina & muka-ti, nipakawa nuritinga kani pakana milaythina & muka liyanana Antarctica. 

Tasmanian Aboriginal knowledge comes from Country and its waters which carry our songs and stories that connect us with the icy land and seas of Antarctica.

muka tina, pinungana & muta tapilti makuminya paywuta. 

Marine animals, fish and birds migrate, every year as they have done since creation. 

liyanana panitha; muka ningina latu. warr!  waranta pumili manina ngayapi, narakupa milaythina-nara-mapali & tina muka kitina, maytawinya lakarana, manta manta. 

But the ice is melting; ocean temperatures are rising!  We must bring our planet back to life, care for our Country and the ocean’s lifeworlds – from the smallest krill to the largest whale, for all the times to come.

Statement from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, in palawa kani, the language of Tasmanian Aborigines.
Human activities affect Antarctica like any other continent. Direct human impacts on Antarctica include station construction and tourism in the ice-free areas that flora and fauna use as growth and breeding sites. Commercial fishing also has a direct impact on krill and other species in the Southern Ocean’s food chains. Indirect human impacts include climate change and pollution.
Artwork by Jorg Schmeisser
Key Findings
Find out the main messages of the report. Each chapter has 10 key points that summarise the findings of the chapter.
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Outlook and impacts
Where are we headed? Understand the outlook of the Antarctic environment, based on how it is tracking now and how we are managing it.
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Environment
How are the different aspects of the Antarctic environment tracking? Explore the condition of Antarctica’s atmosphere and cryosphere, the Southern Ocean, species, stations and heritage sites.
Start with Environment
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Pressures
What are the pressures on the Antarctic environment? Identify the main climate, human and industry pressures on Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and find out how they are affecting environmental health.
Start with Pressures
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Management
How effective is our management of the Antarctic environment? Discover the main management interventions and actions, and how well they protect the environment and minimise the impact of pressures.
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Chapter resources
Find out about the chapter authors and their analysis approach, the artwork appearing in the chapter, and the available supplementary material.
Explore Authors and acknowledgements
Explore Assessments
Explore Graphs, maps and tables
Explore Case studies
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Explore findings from Antarctica
The Antarctic region is showing the effects of climate change
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean affect the global climate and food webs
Changes are outpacing the ability of species to adapt, and some species will become extinct
Fishing and other human activities add to the pressures on the Antarctic environment, international collaboration will better protect the region
Infographic showing that climate change is causing changes in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica that are affecting not only many important species and habitats, but also fisheries. And because Antarctica provides feeding grounds for migratory species, populations elsewhere are affected by what happens in Antarctica. Action must be taken to protect the region.