HUMAN IMPACT ON THE ANTARCTIC ENVIRONMENT: ENVIROMENTAL MONITORING IN ANTARCTICA
The Representatives,
Recognizing that, because of its relatively pristine state, Antarctica provides an important natural laboratory to obtain baseline information on Antarctic environments and for detecting and monitoring some of the effects of human activities on the global environments and ecosystems upon which the welfare and survival of the human species depend;
Recognizing also that scientific research, related logistic support activities, tourism, natural resources exploration and development, and other human activities in Antarctica could have local, regional or global environmental effects, or compromise the scientific value of Antarctica;
Recalling the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) response to Recommendation XII-3 and Recommendation XIV-2, which call upon the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to establish programs for detecting and monitoring the effects of human activities on key components of Antarctic ecosystems;
Conscious that determining cause-effect relationships between certain human activities and observed changes in Antarctic environments will require knowledge of natural variation in Antarctic environments and accurate records of such things as the types and quantities of fuels used to supply heat and light to Antarctic stations and to operate aircraft and land vehicles in Antarctica;
Aware of the ecosystem monitoring program being developed to help meet the objectives of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources;
Desiring to identify and initiate cooperative, long-term monitoring programs necessary to verify the predicted effects and to detect and quantify the possible unforeseen effects of human activities on the Antarctic environment; and
Recognizing that the design and implementation of integrated, comprehensive, and cost-effective environmental monitoring programs in Antarctica serve both scientific and environmental protection purposes;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. They encourage their national Antarctic programs, individually and collectively, to continue and, as appropriate, expand programs in Antarctica aimed at detecting and monitoring global environmental change, including its effects on the ozone layer over Antarctica, effects on Antarctic terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric environments and dependent and associated ecosystems as well as effects on Antarctic living resources.
2. They undertake, individually and collectively, to establish environmental monitoring programs to verify the predicted effects and to detect the possible unforeseen effects on Antarctic environments and living resources of activities in the Antarctic Treaty area, including:
(a) waste disposal;
(b) contamination by oil or other hazardous or toxic substances;
(c) construction and operation of stations, field camps, and related ship, aircraft and other logistic support facilities;
(d) conduct of science programs;
(e) recreational activities, and
(f) those affecting the purposes of designated protected areas.
3. They take such steps as necessary to maintain accurate records of the activities of their national programs in Antarctica, including, among other things, maintaining accurate records of the types and quantities of fuels and other materials transported to and used to support their national programs in Antarctica, the types and quantities of materials subsequently removed from Antarctica, and the types and quantities of materials disposed of in Antarctica by various means, bearing in mind Recommendation XV-3.
4. They convene, in accordance with Recommendation IV-24, a meeting of experts to consider and provide advice on:
(a) The types of cooperative, long-term monitoring programs that would be useful for detecting, quantifying, monitoring, and determining the likely causes of observed changes in air quality, snow and water quality, and other key features of Antarctic environments and living resources;
(b) on the methods that should be used to collect, report, store, exchange, and analyze needed data; and
(c) on where and how frequently various environmental parameters should be measured.
To this end, they invite SCAR through their national committees, to consider and provide advice on the above matters.
5. They exchange information and establish cooperative working relations with those Specialized Agencies of the United Nations and other international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Antarctica that are engaged in the planning and implementation of related scientific research and environmental monitoring programs.
The Representatives,
Recognizing that, because of its relatively pristine state, Antarctica provides an important natural laboratory to obtain baseline information on Antarctic environments and for detecting and monitoring some of the effects of human activities on the global environments and ecosystems upon which the welfare and survival of the human species depend;
Recognizing also that scientific research, related logistic support activities, tourism, natural resources exploration and development, and other human activities in Antarctica could have local, regional or global environmental effects, or compromise the scientific value of Antarctica;
Recalling the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) response to Recommendation XII-3 and Recommendation XIV-2, which call upon the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to establish programs for detecting and monitoring the effects of human activities on key components of Antarctic ecosystems;
Conscious that determining cause-effect relationships between certain human activities and observed changes in Antarctic environments will require knowledge of natural variation in Antarctic environments and accurate records of such things as the types and quantities of fuels used to supply heat and light to Antarctic stations and to operate aircraft and land vehicles in Antarctica;
Aware of the ecosystem monitoring program being developed to help meet the objectives of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources;
Desiring to identify and initiate cooperative, long-term monitoring programs necessary to verify the predicted effects and to detect and quantify the possible unforeseen effects of human activities on the Antarctic environment; and
Recognizing that the design and implementation of integrated, comprehensive, and cost-effective environmental monitoring programs in Antarctica serve both scientific and environmental protection purposes;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. They encourage their national Antarctic programs, individually and collectively, to continue and, as appropriate, expand programs in Antarctica aimed at detecting and monitoring global environmental change, including its effects on the ozone layer over Antarctica, effects on Antarctic terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric environments and dependent and associated ecosystems as well as effects on Antarctic living resources.
2. They undertake, individually and collectively, to establish environmental monitoring programs to verify the predicted effects and to detect the possible unforeseen effects on Antarctic environments and living resources of activities in the Antarctic Treaty area, including:
(a) waste disposal;
(b) contamination by oil or other hazardous or toxic substances;
(c) construction and operation of stations, field camps, and related ship, aircraft and other logistic support facilities;
(d) conduct of science programs;
(e) recreational activities, and
(f) those affecting the purposes of designated protected areas.
3. They take such steps as necessary to maintain accurate records of the activities of their national programs in Antarctica, including, among other things, maintaining accurate records of the types and quantities of fuels and other materials transported to and used to support their national programs in Antarctica, the types and quantities of materials subsequently removed from Antarctica, and the types and quantities of materials disposed of in Antarctica by various means, bearing in mind Recommendation XV-3.
4. They convene, in accordance with Recommendation IV-24, a meeting of experts to consider and provide advice on:
(a) The types of cooperative, long-term monitoring programs that would be useful for detecting, quantifying, monitoring, and determining the likely causes of observed changes in air quality, snow and water quality, and other key features of Antarctic environments and living resources;
(b) on the methods that should be used to collect, report, store, exchange, and analyze needed data; and
(c) on where and how frequently various environmental parameters should be measured.
To this end, they invite SCAR through their national committees, to consider and provide advice on the above matters.
5. They exchange information and establish cooperative working relations with those Specialized Agencies of the United Nations and other international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Antarctica that are engaged in the planning and implementation of related scientific research and environmental monitoring programs.
