Tourism is destroying Antarctica. Why is this happening?

According to Nature, scientists have recorded an increase in heavy metal contamination in the continent's snow cover, attributing it to increased tourist traffic and the expansion of scientific bases.

According to a study published in the journal, the level of fine particles containing heavy metals in areas of human presence in Antarctica is now 10 times higher than 40 years ago. The main source of pollution is the burning of fossil fuels, especially by ship engines, which emit nickel, zinc, copper and lead.

"Snow in areas frequented by tourists melts faster because of the presence of polluting particles," explained one of the authors of the paper, Raul Cordero of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. According to him, one tourist can accelerate the melting of about 100 tonnes of snow.

Over the past 20 years, the number of tourists visiting the continent has grown from 20,000 to 120,000 a year, according to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators. In addition to tourism, pollution is exacerbated by the long-term stay of scientific expeditions. Their ecological footprint can be 10 times higher than from a single tourist.

For four years, an international team of scientists from Chile, Germany and other countries investigated the pollution along 2,000 kilometres. The study also highlights positive steps - such as banning heavy marine fuels and the use of hybrid ships - but these are not enough.

"The transition to renewable energy sources must be accelerated and the use of fossil fuels drastically reduced to reduce the pressure on the Antarctic ecosystem," the publication says.