Antarctica to Host Permanent Settlements in 50 Years – Bulgarian Researcher

Environment | July 31, 2012, Tuesday // 17:36|  views

Professor Hristo Pimpirev, Director of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, has suggested that the Antarctic will host permanent villages in 50 years’ time. Photo by BGNES

Hristo Pimpirev, Director of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, has suggested that in 50 years' time, the Antarctic will host permanent villages cooperating with scientists and the tourism industry.

Pimpirev gave an interview for the Focus news agency to comment on the latest developments in the sphere discussed at the 24th Annual General Meeting of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) and the 32nd Meeting of the Scientific Committee on Atlantic Research (SCAR).

The director of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute attended both conferences held in Portland, USA.

Pimpirev explained that a 50-year plan for the development of the continent was being developed and the establishment of permanent settlements was almost certain.

"The world is becoming overpopulated and the Antarctic is a place where people can access the most pristine wildlife sites. The continent is very rich in natural resources and the oil and gas deposits on the continental shelf are most tempting," Pimpirev informed.

"At this stage it is still too dangerous to extract these raw materials because the shelf there is too deep. There are too many icebergs but it is largely expected that the appropriate technology will be found and in some 50 years' time, whenever the rest of the world experiences a scarcity of raw materials and fuels, it will head for this continent. Bulgaria already has a reserved place there. We have a base which we fortunately keep developing," Pimpirev noted.

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Tags: Antarctica, Antarctic, Hristo Pimpirev, Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition, oil and gas exploration, raw materials, continental shelf

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