TV Reviews : Future of Antarctica Is Not a Pretty Picture

Antarctica is an unspoiled wilderness, the site of the world’s purest air, cleanest water, brightest light and some of its most spectacular scenery.

Or so you thought. Sunday at 7 p.m. (Channels 4, 36, 39), NBC tells a different story as Los Angeles-based host Keith Morrison visits the bottom of the Earth in a one-hour news special, “Treasure at the South Pole.” What he found should be disturbing to anyone who cares about the future of the planet.

After a too-brief summary of the history of the early exploration of Antarctica and the 1961 treaty that was signed by 14 nations and designed to protect the region, Morrison and his camera crew present vivid evidence of how the effort is failing.

There are now 50 year-round bases in Antarctica (and many more in good weather) run by 25 nations with interests in the South Pole. And, thanks largely to exposure by the environmental group Greenpeace, most have been found to be terrible housekeepers.

Trash is everywhere near the bases. Among the worst offenders is the United States’ McMurdo Station. Greenpeace also found extensive illegal dumping and Morrison’s cameras show the mess.

Morrison presents a worrisome picture of the future of Antarctica. There is great pressure for oil and mineral exploration. Attempts to renew the 1961 treaty have been futile.

A 50-year ban on mining and drilling was approved, but there are no enforcement powers. If one country breaks the agreement, Morrison says, it could set off a catastrophic land rush.

The pictures of frolicking penguins and drifting glaciers in “Treasure at the South Pole” are inspiring and reassuring. The message behind the pictures is anything but.

“Treasure at the South Pole” was commissioned by NBC and independently produced by Barry Fox, who was also one of the photographers.