Environment groups slam UK sea-bed grab in Antarctica

By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Oct 18, 2007, 12:50 GMT

The British Royal Navy survey ship HMS Endurance transits through the icy waters of the Lemaire channel, Antarctica in this photo released Wednesday 6th December 2006 by the Ministry of Defence. EPA/LA. Kelly Whybrow Royal Navy Crown Copyright Reserved EDITORIAL USE ONLY

(M&C) - Environmental groups have taken issue with the recent news that Britain is preparing a claim for presentation to the UN commission on the limits of the continental shelf (CLCS) for the acquisition of a further 1m sq km (386,000 sq miles) of seabed off the coast of the British Antarctic Territory.

The Foreign Office said it was contemplating using the claim to drill for oil, gas and minerals in the region.

However environmental groups warn that drilling for energy resources would upset the fragile ecology of the region.

"There should be no oil or gas exploitation in Antarctica. It's such a fragile habitat," said Simon Walmsley, head of WWF-UK's marine programme. "Some of the sea creatures there are killed by a rise in temperature of merely 1.1C. It would be a body blow for the whole region."

"Knowing about these continental shelf claims, I question whether the government is serious enough to go through with this claim. It may be a tactic. It's something a lot of countries are doing as they have a deadline [of May 2009] for their claims. In no way would we support oil or gas exploration in Antarctica. The mechanism of the treaty is a good one. [Claims] like this won't help."

The claim by Britain is expected to trigger other claims from countries whose current territories in Antarctica overlap that of Britain.