Forty-seventh Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting - Twenty-seventh Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection
Milan, Italy
23 Jun 2025 - 3 Jul 2025
The meetings were organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and held at the Mi-Co Fiera Milano Congressi Convention Centre in Milan. Representatives from the 58 Consultative and Non-Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty, along with Observers and invited Experts, took part in the event, with a total of 450 Delegates registered. The impact on Antarctic fauna of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was among the topics examined by the ATCM. The Meeting expressed the urgent need for coordinated surveillance, biosecurity protocols and inter-agency cooperation, as available data reveal the spreading of the virus in different regions of Antarctica and its particularly aggressive character. The ATCM examined the issue of environmental monitoring in Antarctica with particular emphasis on microplastics pollution. The importance of international cooperation was highlighted, with a view to encouraging the exchange of best practices and the search for innovative strategies to monitor pollution in Antarctic ecosystems. The ATCM continued to work on developing a comprehensive framework for tourism and other non-governmental activities in Antarctica. Parties reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing educational initiatives that help communicate the Treaty’s principles to diverse audiences. The Meeting elected Mr Francisco Berguno from Chile as the new Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty, succeding Mr Albert Lluberas from Uruguay.
