Part 6/9:
Resource Potential and Future Implications
At the core of these territorial disputes is an underlying interest in the vast natural resources believed to be hidden beneath Antarctica’s icy surface. Studies suggest there are massive oil and gas reserves within the territories claimed by Britain, and even gold is thought to be present in the volcanic regions near New Zealand. While the extraction of these resources is currently deemed economically unfeasible, advances in technology could change that equation post-2048.