COMPREHENSIVE MEASURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ANTARCTIC ENVIRONMENT AND DEPENDENT AND ASSOCIATED ECOSYSTEMS
The Representatives,
Convinced of the need to preserve the Antarctic Treaty system so as to ensure that Antarctica does not become the scene or object of international discord;
Bearing in mind the special legal and political status of Antarctica and the special responsibility of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to ensure that all activities in Antarctica are consistent with the purposes and principles of the Antarctic Treaty;
Recalling the designation of Antarctica as a Special Conservation Area;
Recognising the vulnerability to human interference of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recognising further the unique opportunities Antarctica offers for scientific research on processes of global as well as regional importance;
Taking into account international concern for the environment and the importance of Antarctica for the global environment;
Bearing in mind the substantial body of measures adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties in recognition of their special responsibilities for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recalling in this context Articles V and IX (1) (f) of the Antarctic Treaty and Recommendations setting out general principles for the protection of the Antarctic environment;
Recalling also:
(a) the Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora and associated Recommendations;
(b) the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (which entered into force on 11 March 1978);
(c) the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (which entered into force on 7 April 1982);
(d) the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities (which has not yet entered into force);
(e) Recommendations relating to:
(i) the Antarctic Protected Area system concerning Specially Protected Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Historic Sites and monuments;
(ii) the Code of Conduct for Antarctic expeditions and station activities;
(iii) the effects of Antarctic tourism and non-governmental expeditions;
(iv) the use of radio-isotopes;
(v) oil contamination;
(vi) the prohibition on the disposal of nuclear waste; and
(vii) environmental impact assessment procedures;
as well as work undertaken in relation to the uses of Antarctic ice;
Taking note of proposals made at XVth Consultative Meeting by France and Australia for a comprehensive Convention for the Protection of the Antarctic Environment which would establish Antarctica as a natural reserve, land of science; by the United States for comprehensive measures building on the components of the Antarctic Treaty system; by Chile on comprehensive measures, which include the development of the concept of Antarctica as a Special Conservation Area; by New Zealand for comprehensive measures constituting an integrated and binding environmental protection regime; and by Sweden relating to common elements for environmental protection;
Welcoming the further substantial progress made on the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems through the work of this Consultative Meeting including the adoption of Recommendation XV-3 on Waste Disposal; Recommendation XV-4 on the Prevention, Control and Response to Marine Pollution; Recommendation XV-5 on Environmental Monitoring in Antarctica; Recommendation XV-6 on New Sites of Special Scientific Interest; Recommendation XV-8 amending Article VIII of the Agreed Measures to provide for Management Plans for Specially Protected Areas (SPAs); Recommendation XV-9 on Development of improved descriptions and management plans for SPAs; Recommendation XV-10 on Establishment of Specially Reserved Areas; Recommendation XV-11 on Establishment of Multiple-use Planning Areas; Recommendation XV-14 and XV-15 on promotion of international scientific cooperation; Recommendation XV-17 on the Siting of Stations; Recommendation XV-19 on Charting of Antarctic waters;
Recommendation XV-21 on Antarctic Ice and the Declaration on the Ozone Layer and Climate Change;
Acknowledging the need, in the light of the unique qualities of Antarctica and increasing human activities there, to ensure the effective implementation, coordination and further elaboration of the system of protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. They undertake as a priority objective the further elaboration, maintenance and effective implementation of a comprehensive system for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems aimed at ensuring that human activity does not have adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment or its dependent or associated ecosystems or compromise the scientific, aesthetic or wilderness values of Antarctica.
2. To contribute to this objective, a Special Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting be held in 1990 to explore and discuss all proposals relating to the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems.
3. In addressing the requirements of such a comprehensive system, they:
(a) have regard to the principles for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems already established under the Antarctic Treaty system and shall consider the need to elaborate further, expand and supplement those principles;
(b) review the existing body of measures for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems in order, inter alia, to:
(i) identify those measures which should be updated, strengthened or otherwise improved;
(ii) identify areas where the existing measures should be supplemented;
(iii) consider the nature of the legal obligations contained in existing measures and the need, as necessary, to state those obligations with greater precision;
(iv) make provision for the promotion of research related to environmental management decisions;
(v) promote the establishment of procedures for assessing the possible impact of human activities on the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems in order to provide for informed decision-making as to their acceptability;
(vi) promote the establishment of procedures to monitor the effectiveness and adequacy of environmental protection measures;
(vii) consider the role of an information and data base for the effective implementation, revision and extension of environmental protection measures;
(c) consider if and to what extent institutional arrangements may be necessary and the form or forms of the legal or other measures needed to ensure the maintenance, integration, consistency and comprehensiveness of the system of protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems.
The Representatives,
Convinced of the need to preserve the Antarctic Treaty system so as to ensure that Antarctica does not become the scene or object of international discord;
Bearing in mind the special legal and political status of Antarctica and the special responsibility of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to ensure that all activities in Antarctica are consistent with the purposes and principles of the Antarctic Treaty;
Recalling the designation of Antarctica as a Special Conservation Area;
Recognising the vulnerability to human interference of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recognising further the unique opportunities Antarctica offers for scientific research on processes of global as well as regional importance;
Taking into account international concern for the environment and the importance of Antarctica for the global environment;
Bearing in mind the substantial body of measures adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties in recognition of their special responsibilities for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recalling in this context Articles V and IX (1) (f) of the Antarctic Treaty and Recommendations setting out general principles for the protection of the Antarctic environment;
Recalling also:
(a) the Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora and associated Recommendations;
(b) the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (which entered into force on 11 March 1978);
(c) the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (which entered into force on 7 April 1982);
(d) the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities (which has not yet entered into force);
(e) Recommendations relating to:
(i) the Antarctic Protected Area system concerning Specially Protected Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Historic Sites and monuments;
(ii) the Code of Conduct for Antarctic expeditions and station activities;
(iii) the effects of Antarctic tourism and non-governmental expeditions;
(iv) the use of radio-isotopes;
(v) oil contamination;
(vi) the prohibition on the disposal of nuclear waste; and
(vii) environmental impact assessment procedures;
as well as work undertaken in relation to the uses of Antarctic ice;
Taking note of proposals made at XVth Consultative Meeting by France and Australia for a comprehensive Convention for the Protection of the Antarctic Environment which would establish Antarctica as a natural reserve, land of science; by the United States for comprehensive measures building on the components of the Antarctic Treaty system; by Chile on comprehensive measures, which include the development of the concept of Antarctica as a Special Conservation Area; by New Zealand for comprehensive measures constituting an integrated and binding environmental protection regime; and by Sweden relating to common elements for environmental protection;
Welcoming the further substantial progress made on the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems through the work of this Consultative Meeting including the adoption of Recommendation XV-3 on Waste Disposal; Recommendation XV-4 on the Prevention, Control and Response to Marine Pollution; Recommendation XV-5 on Environmental Monitoring in Antarctica; Recommendation XV-6 on New Sites of Special Scientific Interest; Recommendation XV-8 amending Article VIII of the Agreed Measures to provide for Management Plans for Specially Protected Areas (SPAs); Recommendation XV-9 on Development of improved descriptions and management plans for SPAs; Recommendation XV-10 on Establishment of Specially Reserved Areas; Recommendation XV-11 on Establishment of Multiple-use Planning Areas; Recommendation XV-14 and XV-15 on promotion of international scientific cooperation; Recommendation XV-17 on the Siting of Stations; Recommendation XV-19 on Charting of Antarctic waters;
Recommendation XV-21 on Antarctic Ice and the Declaration on the Ozone Layer and Climate Change;
Acknowledging the need, in the light of the unique qualities of Antarctica and increasing human activities there, to ensure the effective implementation, coordination and further elaboration of the system of protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. They undertake as a priority objective the further elaboration, maintenance and effective implementation of a comprehensive system for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems aimed at ensuring that human activity does not have adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment or its dependent or associated ecosystems or compromise the scientific, aesthetic or wilderness values of Antarctica.
2. To contribute to this objective, a Special Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting be held in 1990 to explore and discuss all proposals relating to the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems.
3. In addressing the requirements of such a comprehensive system, they:
(a) have regard to the principles for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems already established under the Antarctic Treaty system and shall consider the need to elaborate further, expand and supplement those principles;
(b) review the existing body of measures for the protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems in order, inter alia, to:
(i) identify those measures which should be updated, strengthened or otherwise improved;
(ii) identify areas where the existing measures should be supplemented;
(iii) consider the nature of the legal obligations contained in existing measures and the need, as necessary, to state those obligations with greater precision;
(iv) make provision for the promotion of research related to environmental management decisions;
(v) promote the establishment of procedures for assessing the possible impact of human activities on the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems in order to provide for informed decision-making as to their acceptability;
(vi) promote the establishment of procedures to monitor the effectiveness and adequacy of environmental protection measures;
(vii) consider the role of an information and data base for the effective implementation, revision and extension of environmental protection measures;
(c) consider if and to what extent institutional arrangements may be necessary and the form or forms of the legal or other measures needed to ensure the maintenance, integration, consistency and comprehensiveness of the system of protection of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems.
