Greenpeace Charts New ANtarctic Waters

["Greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

GREENPEACE CHARTS NEW ANTARCTIC WATERS

Antarctic Peninsular,  4 February, 1997: The Greenpeace ice
breaker  MV Arctic Sunrise has successfully circumnavigated
James Ross Island,  a passage previously impossible due to a 200
metre thick ic shelf that joined the island to the Antarctic
continent until 1995.

It is believed this is the first time that the island has ever
been  circumnavigated. The collapse of the ice shelf  has been
linked to  increasing temperatures throughout the region, which
are consi ent with predictions of global warming and in line
with mounting  evidence of climate changes in other parts of the
world. The ice  shelves along the northern Antarctic Peninsula
have been retreating n recent decades and some have
disintegrated completely. 

Last week the MV Arctic Sunrise, sailed into waters previously 
occupied by the 4,200 square kilometre, 300 metre thick Larsen-A
Ice  Shelf. This ice shelf collapsed in 1995 at the same time as
the s lf between James Ross Island and the continent.

The ship's captain, Arne Sorensen: "For sailors, steaming in 
uncharted waters is an exciting challenge. However, my
excitement is  tainted with the belief that it is human
interference with the  cl
e 
that has allowed us to make this passage."

Greenpeace is currently in Antarctica documenting the impacts of 
global warming. In December, governments will be meeting in
Japan to  sign agreements to limit greenhouse gas emissions

CONTACTS ON BOARD THE ARCTIC SUNRISE 874 -130 2577
Arne Sorensen (captain): English, Danish 
Erwin Jackson (climate impacts specialist): English
Martina Kruger (climate campaigner): German, Dutch
Emiliano Ezcurra (climate campaigner): Spanish, French