Antarctica's two main environmental problems are pollution and global warming. The hole in the ozone above Antarctica is 27 million km² which harms wildlife. Pollution consists of chemicals and garbage in the air and water. The snow in Antarctica contains chemicals used in other parts of the world and those chemicals are absorbed by the animals. Oil spills are another frequent problem with the marine traffic in the area. Garbage from ships is another concern as wildlife gets tangled in old nets or line. Global warming is another issue and the temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula has risen 2.5°C in the last fifty years. The rising temperatures cause ice shelves to break up.

Related Links

• Cool Antarctica
• Australian Government Antarctic Division
• Wikipedia