SCAR Environmental Code of Conduct for Geosciences Field Research Activities in Antarctica
The Representatives,
Recalling Article 3 of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (“the Protocol”), which requires that “activities in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be planned and conducted so as to limit adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems”;
Recognising that Antarctica may contain geological, palaeontological, glaciological and geomorphological features of high environmental and scientific value;
Acknowledging that the Antarctic environment may be at risk from impacts associated with research activities, including oversampling of fossils, rocks and minerals;
Welcoming the development by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (“SCAR”) through broad consultation, including with the input of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (“COMNAP”), of the SCAR Environmental Code of Conduct for Geosciences Field Research Activities in Antarctica (“SCAR Code of Conduct”) that Parties can apply and use, as appropriate, to assist with meeting their obligations under the Protocol;
Recommend that their Governments:
1. endorse the non-mandatory SCAR Code of Conduct as representing current best practice for planning and undertaking geoscience field research activities in Antarctica;
2. encourage the consideration of the SCAR Code of Conduct during the environmental impact assessment process for geoscience field research activities within Antarctica and encourage their researchers, to the best of their ability, to abide by the contents of the SCAR Code of Conduct in conducting geosciences field research activities in Antarctica; and
3. maintain updated information concerning their national repositories housing Antarctic geological and palaeontological specimens.
The Representatives,
Recalling Article 3 of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (“the Protocol”), which requires that “activities in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be planned and conducted so as to limit adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems”;
Recognising that Antarctica may contain geological, palaeontological, glaciological and geomorphological features of high environmental and scientific value;
Acknowledging that the Antarctic environment may be at risk from impacts associated with research activities, including oversampling of fossils, rocks and minerals;
Welcoming the development by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (“SCAR”) through broad consultation, including with the input of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (“COMNAP”), of the SCAR Environmental Code of Conduct for Geosciences Field Research Activities in Antarctica (“SCAR Code of Conduct”) that Parties can apply and use, as appropriate, to assist with meeting their obligations under the Protocol;
Recommend that their Governments:
1. endorse the non-mandatory SCAR Code of Conduct as representing current best practice for planning and undertaking geoscience field research activities in Antarctica;
2. encourage the consideration of the SCAR Code of Conduct during the environmental impact assessment process for geoscience field research activities within Antarctica and encourage their researchers, to the best of their ability, to abide by the contents of the SCAR Code of Conduct in conducting geosciences field research activities in Antarctica; and
3. maintain updated information concerning their national repositories housing Antarctic geological and palaeontological specimens.
