• The 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), the highest forum for governing the icy continent, was held at Kochi from May 20-30.

• The Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP), that advises the ATCM on conservation and protection of environment in the continent, addressed a range of issues and contributed to the implementation of the Environmental Protocol in Antarctica. 

The Committee agreed to prioritise further work on: 

i) The management implications of sea ice change.

ii) Enhancing environmental impact assessment of major activities.

iii) Protecting the emperor penguin.

iv) Developing an international framework for environmental monitoring in Antarctica. 

• Following the advice of the CEP, the Parties adopted 17 revised and new management plans for Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) and several modifications/additions to the list of Historic and Monument Sites.

• Currently, there are over 70 Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA).

Specially Protected Areas

• Specially protected areas were first established in 1964 under the Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora. 

• Earlier categories of protected areas were replaced by Annex V to the Environment Protocol, which was adopted in 1991 and entered into force in 2002, and which provides for the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA) and Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA).

• An area of Antarctica may be designated an ASPA to protect outstanding environmental, scientific, historic, aesthetic or wilderness values, any combination of those values, or ongoing or planned scientific research. 

• An area where activities are being conducted or may be conducted in the future may be designated as an ASMA, to assist in the planning and coordination of activities, avoid possible conflicts, improve cooperation between Parties or minimise environmental impacts.

Within a systematic environmental-geographical framework, ASPA has to meet following requirements:

i) Areas kept inviolate from human interference so that future comparisons may be possible with localities that have been affected by human activities.

ii) Representative examples of major terrestrial, including glacial and aquatic, ecosystems and marine ecosystems.

iii) Areas with important or unusual assemblages of species, including major colonies of breeding native birds or mammals.

iv) The type locality or only known habitat of any species.

v) Areas of particular interest to on-going or planned scientific research.

vi) Examples of outstanding geological, glaciological or geomorphological features.

vii) Areas of outstanding aesthetic and wilderness value.

viii) Sites or monuments of recognised historic value.

• Entry into an Antarctic Specially Protected Area shall be prohibited except in accordance with a permit issued under Article 7 of the Environment Protocol.

What is the Antarctic Treaty?

• The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on December 1, 1959 by the 12 countries whose scientists had been active in and around Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58. 

• It entered into force in 1961 and has since been acceded to by many other nations. The total number of Parties to the Treaty is now 56.

• These nations represent a diverse array of countries from all over the world, highlighting the global commitment to upholding the principles outlined in this historic agreement. 

• They are entitled to participate in the Consultative Meetings during such times as they demonstrate their interest in Antarctica by “conducting substantial research activity there” . 

• The Antarctic Treaty consists of 14 articles that establish a framework for the governance of Antarctica. 

• The Antarctic Treaty provides that “Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only”. To this end it prohibits “any measures of a military nature” but does “not prevent the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purpose”.

• The Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty is located in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Secretariat and its work are funded by the Consultative Parties.

• The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed in Madrid in 1991 and entered into force in 1998. 

• It designates Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted to peace and science”. Until 2048, the Protocol can only be modified by unanimous agreement of all Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty. 

India and the Antarctic Treaty

• India signed the Antarctic Treaty on August 19, 1983, and soon thereafter received Consultative Status on September 12, 1983. 

• The country is one of the 29 Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty. It is also a member of the Council of Managers of the National Antarctic Programme and the Scientific Committee of Antarctica Research. 

• Through open dialogue, collaboration, and consensus-building, India remains committed to upholding the principles of the Antarctic Treaty and contributing to the sustainable management of one of Earth's last pristine wilderness areas.

• India has two active research stations: Maitri (commissioned in 1989) at Schirmacher Hills, and Bharati (commissioned in 2012) at Larsemann Hills in Antarctica. The country has successfully launched 40 annual scientific expeditions to Antarctica to date. 

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