Sustaining ecosystems - Antarctic Treaty

Question 1

What is the ATS?

Answer 1

Antarctica are all the islands and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude
1959 signed action in 1961
54 parties
For scientific research and ban military activity

Question 2

What are 10 conditions of ATS:

Answer 2

Main conditions:
1. No military use
2. Freedom of scientific investigation
3. Free exchange of scientific plans and data
4. Any territorial claims put on hold
5. Nuclear Free zone
6. Applies to land but no seas
7. All stations open to inspection by other nations
8. National laws apply to citizens not to areas
9. The treat may be modified at any time requires unanimous agreement of treaty nations
10. All treaty nations to ensure no one carries out acts against the treaty

Question 3

How does it Protect/sustain the ecosystem?
Animals

Answer 3

1964 Agreed Measures of Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora
Article 3.2 of the Environment Protocol
“
activities in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be planned and conducted so as to
avoid:
(i) adverse effects on climate or weather patterns;
(ii) significant adverse effects on air or water quality;
(iii) significant changes in the atmospheric, terrestrial (including aquatic),
glacial or marine environments;
(iv) detrimental changes in the distribution, abundance or productivity of
species or populations of species of fauna and flora;
(v) further jeopardy to endangered or threatened species or populations of such
species; or
(vi) degradation of, or substantial risk to, areas of biological, scientific,
historic, aesthetic or wilderness significance;
(c) activities in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be planned

”

Question 4

How does it Protect/sustain the ecosystem?
Waste

Answer 4

(Art. 1.2) Annex III to the Environment Protocol requires
“the amount of wastes produced or disposed of in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be reduced as far as practicable so as to minimize impacts on the Antarctic environment and to minimize interference with the natural values of Antarctica, with the scientific research and with other uses of Antarctica which are consistent with the Antarctic Treaty”.
Products like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are not allowed to be introduced to Antarctica at all:
- contain chemicals that can harm humans and the environment
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pcbs.html

Question 5

How does it Protect/sustain the ecosystem?
Marine Pollution

Answer 5

Annex IV to the Environment Protocol prohibits:
- discharge of oil
- noxious liquid substances and garbage in the Antarctic Treaty area

Question 6

How does it Protect/Sustain the ecosystem?
Protected Areas

Answer 6

Established 1964 under Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora
Annex V to the Environment Protocol
ASI = areas of scientific interest
areas kept inviolate from human interference
areas with important or unusual assemblages of species, including major colonies of breeding native birds or mammals
the type locality or only known habitat of any species

Question 7

Problems with the treaty?

Answer 7

In 2018 45 private yachts were visiting = over tourism
9 of them entered waters without permission
They fly drones, touch animals, violating the protection rules.
They can’t do anything and it lacks power to enforce anything as the politics were different back in 1961
Facing climate change it faces a bigger problem as it’s only getting reviewed in 2048.

Question 8

Protocol on Environmental Protection sign and action

Answer 8

signed 1991 and force in 1998

Question 9

HHAHAHA empty

Answer 9

Have a good day Prabesh