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Environmental Impacts
Permanent research stations were established before any formal environmental regulations were in place. The focus on research and scientific expansion led to fuel, waste, and abandoned infrastructure being left in Antarctica (Klein et al., 2018). Environmental protection and cleanup efforts did not begin until decades later.
Keep scrolling and click on the Madrid Protocol to learn how this pollution was addressed
Abandoned infrastructure and waste left near the Wilkes Station, abandoned in 1969.
Image Credit: Darren Koppe
The Madrid Protocol
On October 4, 1991, the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed in Madrid, designating Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science (Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty, n.d.). This protocol protects the Antarctic resources, except for scientific research purposes. Although this was a significant change for the environment, it was implemented over 30 years after the IGY.
Weaponized Science
Although the IGY sparked a great collaborative effort in scientific research, much of the data collected aligns with military use. Research in the atmosphere, geomagnetism, and seismology can be used for missile detection and nuclear monitoring systems. The blend between civil scientific research and military research turned this collaborative research into a strategic tool. As a result, the IGY contributed to the weaponization of science, which further accelerated the Cold War (Luedtke & Howkins, 2012).
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Further Reading
Klein, A., Snape, I., Schaefer, C., Aislabie, J., Delillie, D., & Jurelevicius, D. D. A. (2018, February 11). Environmental remediation - antarctic environments portal. Antarctic Environments Portal. https://environments.aq/publications/environmental-remediation/
Koppel, D. (2025, October 1). Dead dogs, leaking oil drums, batteries: Antarctica’s abandoned waste gets funding boost to kickstart the clean up. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/dead-dogs-leaking-oil-drums-batteries-antarcticas-abandoned-waste-gets-funding-boost-to-kickstart-the-clean-up-177711
Luedtke, B., & Howkins, A. (2012). Polarized climates: The distinctive histories of climate change and politics in the Arctic and Antarctica since the beginning of the Cold War. WIREs Climate Change, 3(2), 145–159. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.161
The Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty (n.d.). The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Environmental Protocol | Antarctic Treaty. https://www.ats.aq/e/protocol.html
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