A team of eight scientists has just left for the South Pole, first Indian trip to the (technically) end of the world. While the scientists have put forth their agenda to study the climate change in the region, I can't help but wonder that some in New Delhi may have an eye on the nation's future security.
27 countries have their research stations in Antarctica (the continent with South Pole.) Maitri, the Indian research station on the continent is the second one, first having been abandoned in 1990. We have been there for thirty years! Why is India spending so much money on the coldest place in the world? I suspect not all of it has to do with the love of science.
Antarctica, although not a well explored part of the world, is believed to have oil, gas, coal, iron and gold. Currently, all exploitation of minerals is banned in the region under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which will stay in place until 2048, unless the scarcity of minerals jacks the oil prices so high that it becomes economical and lucrative to mine them out of literally anywhere on the planet. I am pretty sure no one is going on war over breaking the Protocol on Environmental ...whatever mumbo-jumbo it was.
With that in mind, we already have twelve countries including US, Russia, UK and Norway. Notice that some of these countries are as far away from Antarctica as I am from winning a Grammy (although a Grammy would be nice to put along the Oscar that I am sure to get.) And they sure as hell don't want Antarctica to open up beach resort. The only significance that the continent has is resources. And India getting its own foot in the door for future leverage. Not that our scientists won't learn something about climate change as well.
A similar case was made in 2007, when the Russians went ahead and planted their flag on the North Pole. Again the North Pole is expected to be surrounded by oceans of oil.
If they didn't have a treaty, moon as well would have been divided by now.
Image Credit: Wikimedia
Though 2048 seems like a date too far away, when seen in the light of government decisions and strategic planning, its frightfully near.
ReplyDeleteI hope the present resources are sufficient enough for a lot more years so that people do not go to the poles and destroy them for oil. It would lead to catastrophic effects which could not even be thought of!
Ill keep my fingers crossed!
Sandy, didn't I teach you anything about punctuation and articles?
ReplyDeletePowerdrill Mataji