Once a remote wilderness visited by fewer than 8,000 people a year in the 1990s, Antarctica is now facing record human activity. In the 2023–24 season, more than 124,000 people travelled to the continent, with projections suggesting numbers could rise to 450,000 by 2034. A study in Nature Sustainability warns that this surge, combined with growing research activity, is contaminating the fragile environment. Toxic metals in areas with human presence are now ten times higher than 40 years ago, and soot from ships, planes and vehicles accelerates snowmelt. Researchers estimate that a single tourist can speed up the melting of around 100 tons of snow.
Growing Environmental Footprint
Tourists disturb wildlife, damage fragile vegetation and risk bringing invasive species. Scientific expeditions, while vital, also add pressure: one mission can have ten times the impact of a tourist trip. Even with regulations from the Antarctic Treaty and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators – including limits on landings, biosecurity checks, and bans on heavy fuel oil – the measures fall short. Experts argue that only a rapid transition away from fossil fuels and stricter protection efforts will prevent Antarctica’s ecosystems from further harm. Despite its untouched appearance, human activity is already reshaping the frozen continent.
