Tourism in Antarctica has been around since the 1950s, and has only grown since then. From a few dozen tourists embarking on resupply boats for the scientific bases, at the turn of the century the White Continent welcomed more than 10,000 annual visitors. For the 2023-2024 season, the figure exceeds 100,000 tourists. This tourism, reserved for the privileged classes, is not without risks for the environment.
Travelling to Antarctica: tourism reserved for the wealthy
Between €6,000 and €8,000 per person. That's the cost of a low-cost trip to Antarctica from Paris. These prices only include the cruise from Ushuaïa to the White Continent. Also included are flights to Ushuaïa, accommodation in Argentina before or after the cruise, and daily expenses. For a cruise with more options, comfort and activities, or simply for a longer trip, some tourists can spend up to €60,000 per person.
An investigation by Reporterre shows that some French researchers embark free of charge on luxury cruises to Antarctica. Scientists cohabit with tourists, most of whom are rich or even ultra-rich. This practice divides researchers, and contributes to the confusion between tourism and scientific research. Space tourism, for example, plays on this contempt.
An Oxfam study published in November 2023 shows that the world's richest 1% were responsible for 16% of global consumer CO2 emissions in 2019. The richest 10%, meanwhile, are responsible for half the world's emissions. The development of high-priced tourist activities in remote areas of the globe therefore weighs heavily in the balance.
Read more on the same subject the environmental impact of Everest climbs.
Environmental impact of Antarctic travel
According to ADEME's carbon impact calculator, a round trip from Paris to Ushuaïa by plane emits 4.03 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Added to this is the carbon footprint of the boat crossing. By comparison, the average French person emits 9.8 tonnes of CO2 per year. To comply with the Paris Climate Agreement, experts recommend limiting this figure to 2 tonnes.
In addition to the greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport, ships bound for Antarctica can unintentionally introduce new species, thereby damaging local biodiversity. The helicopters that criss-cross the region, and the Zodiacs used to take tourists ashore, add to the pollution of the area. Pollution and exhaust fumes also contribute to the accelerated melting of the ice.
The role of glaciers
Glaciers play a key role in regulating the climate. 80% of the sun's rays reflected off the ice are redirected back into space. With global warming, glaciers are melting earlier and earlier in the year, making it increasingly difficult for them to reform in winter. This exposes the surface of the oceans, which absorb sunlight and part of the CO2. The water then warms up. Warmer water "takes up more space" due to the expansion of matter, thus contributing to rising sea levels. As glaciers melt, they also release into the atmosphere methane, CO2 and bacteria previously trapped in permafrost, further increasing greenhouse gas levels.
According to theWorld Meteorological Organization, the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula is one of the places on the globe that has warmed most in the last 50 years. Temperatures in the region have risen by around 3°C. We also know that Antarctica was losing around 40 billion tonnes of ice a year in the 1980s. In 2017, this figure climbs to 252 billion.
Read more our article on ocean pollution.
The poorest pay the price
Beyond the environmental impact of Antarctic travel, the influx of tourists with very high purchasing power has a direct impact on the economies of the countries from which the cruises depart. In Ushuaïa, as well as increasing local pollution, the cost of living is skyrocketing.
By early 2024, Argentina's poverty rate had risen to 53%. At the same time, many wealthy tourists opt for a hotel or Airbnb stay before or after their cruise. As is the case in many cities, the rise in short-term rentals is preventing locals from finding adequate accommodation, and leading to a strong gentrification of the area. The contrast between Ushuaïa's luxury hotels and the shantytowns that line the city is striking.
Also according to Oxfam, the poorest populations are five times more likely to be victims of population displacement due to global warming. In 2016, almost ten years ago, 23.5 million people were displaced by extreme weather conditions. However, this figure does not take into account so-called "slow-onset" disasters (droughts or rising sea levels, for example).
