Desarrollo de la Antártica

EL DESARROLLO DE LA ANTÁRTICA nerations. 1 would not be surprised if tourist visits to the Antarc~k followed the same kind of pattern as in Islas Galápagos, where the sudden influx of thousands of tourists has caused the Government of \Ecuador to introduce and enforce sorne very necessary and sensi– hle restrictions. Disposal 01 nuclear mnd other toxíc wastes 'Despite the dear ban on disposal of radioactive waste material> in Anide V of Dhe Treaty, and the scientific advice on this subject gi– ven by SCAR, 1 doubt whether the,e have done more than postpo:le the issue. As nuclear energy sources proliferate throughout the world, we must not be surprised if {<here ac increasing pressures about the cJisposal of radioactive waste. It is steadily becoming clearer that sorne of the exiating methods oi disposal ihave dangerous possibili. ties for the future. 1 refer to such methods as containers on the deep seabed, OT the possible consequences of any kind of disposal in areas which are subject to earthquakes. This is an emotional subject which is certain to provoke strong polítical reactions. It is hard to believe that the remotest part of the earth in Antarctic will escape fervid and insistant advocates for its use in this connection. The long-established practice of dumping toxic industrial waste materials at sea is now increasingly recognized as an unacceptable danger, especíally to fis'heries. Comequently, this dumping is being (hiven from the traditional and rnOfe accessible areas to more and more remote parts of the oceans. It will be no soludon to permit it in the Arctic .or Antarctic, where the ecological systems may wzll be more delicately balanced than in other regions. lcebergs as a source 01 Iresh water At last we come to a potential resource which is endlessly renewablc and possibly extremely valuable for the development of arid re– gions. T1he idea of towing large icebergs over great distances as a source of fresh water has been examined in considerable detail. Ta the surprise of every investigator, the overall idea seems technicaIly feasible and also an economic proposit20n. Here i5 a development which may be of spedal interest for Chile. It is also one of the very few Antarctic developments which Inight possibly take place without raising difficult problems of original ownership of the icebergs.