Limiting Antarctic Tourism
By Jason Heller, April 20, 2009 @ 01:00 AM (EST)
Source: BBC
Countries with ties to Antarctica have adopted US proposals to limit tourism in the region, in a bid to protect the fragile ecosystem of the continent.
Parties to the Antarctic Treaty agreed to limit the size of cruise ships and the number of tourists taken ashore at a meeting in the US city of Baltimore.
Limiting tourism has taken on urgency due to a surge in visits and a number of cruise ship accidents.
Antarctic visits have risen from 6,700 in 1992-93 to over 45,000 last season.
The agreed limits will only become legally binding once ratified by each of the 28 nations who have signed the Antarctic Treaty, launched in Washington 50 years ago...
Parties to the Antarctic Treaty agreed to limit the size of cruise ships and the number of tourists taken ashore at a meeting in the US city of Baltimore.
Limiting tourism has taken on urgency due to a surge in visits and a number of cruise ship accidents.
Antarctic visits have risen from 6,700 in 1992-93 to over 45,000 last season.
The agreed limits will only become legally binding once ratified by each of the 28 nations who have signed the Antarctic Treaty, launched in Washington 50 years ago...
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