With the recently adopted 50-year pact on mining and oil drilling in Antarctica , environmentalists are rejoicing . However , some think the pact could fail . Without the possibility of some return , many nations will decide that Antarctic research is n't worth it . Argentina and Chile claim parts of Antarctica as extensions of their countries, even though the Antarctic Treaty effectively makes the continent international territory. The U.S. National Science Foundation says , " We 've been standing on a tripod --- geopolitics , future uses of Antarctica and research , now two of the three legs have been taken away from us . " Although proof of a nation 's interest in Antarctica was their research effort there , many nations , particularly Soviet Bloc , already find the research cost to be prohibitive and are cutting back .
With the recently adopted 50-year pact on mining and oil drilling in Antarctica , environmentalists are rejoicing . However , some think the pact could fail . Without the possibility of some return , many nations will decide that Antarctic research is n't worth it . The U.S. National Science Foundation says , " We 've been standing on a tripod --- geopolitics , future uses of Antarctica and research , now two of the three legs have been taken away from us . " Although proof of a nation 's interest in Antarctica was their research effort there , many nations , particularly Soviet Bloc , already find the research cost to be prohibitive and are cutting back .