ANTARCTICA ENTERS THE 1990S - AN OVERVIEW

During the 1980s Antarctica's increased international importance reflected in part the greater political and public awareness of environmental issues. This trend will continue into the 1990s, for Antarctica performs an integral role in global environmental systems. The ozone problem has highlighted the manner in which Antarctic research possesses both a polar and a general relevance. The region's future value will lie primarily in the sphere of scientific and environmental investigations rather than the exploitation of oil and natural gas, although tourism represents a growth area. The merits of the Antarctic Treaty system as a management regime for the region also figure on the international agenda, and during 1989 the controversy surrounding the minerals regime imparted an added edge to this debate. Antarctica's intrinsic interest as an area for research is reinforced by the manner in which it acts as a useful case study for a range of general issues of relevance to geographers, who should no longer treat it as 'a pole apart'. © 1990.