Antarctica in a Changing Climate
The Representatives,
Conscious of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (“SROCC”), which has been approved and accepted by the IPCC plenary, and its Summary for Policy Makers;
Noting the linkages between the observed and projected impacts of global climate change in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean on the Earth system;
Concerned about the implications for Antarctica arising from a warming global climate identified in the SROCC, including increasing melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet and changes to Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems;
Further concerned about the global implications of Antarctic change, notably sea-level rise and ocean circulation;
Recalling Resolution 6 (2015) and remaining committed to communicating Antarctic climate change research internationally;
Welcoming the regular updates by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (“SCAR”) of its Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment report and looking forward to receiving further advice in due course emanating from SCAR’s three new climate change focused Scientific Research Programmes, namely INSTANT, AntClimnow and Ant-ICON;
Recalling also Resolution 4 (2015) and welcoming the ongoing implementation of the Committee for Environmental Protection’s (“CEP”) Climate Change Response Work Programme (“CCRWP”), and the annual updates provided by the CEP to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (“ATCM”);
Recognising the importance of the implementation of the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst-case scenario implications for Antarctica projected by the IPCC;
Determined to seek ways to address the effects of climate and environmental change on the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recommend that their Governments:
1. ensure their delegations to the next United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”) Conference of the Parties, planned for Glasgow in November 2021, are aware of the implications for Antarctica unless action is taken to avoid a climate crisis, in particular, the projections of its contribution to global sea-level rise, and the implications for upholding the commitment in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (“the Protocol”) to the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems;
2. consider the implications of climate change for Antarctica while managing human activities, and seek to avoid or mitigate additional identified non-climatic stresses to the Antarctic terrestrial and marine environment, including its biodiversity and ecosystems, in order to increase resilience to climate change effects; and
3. support their National Antarctic Programmes and SCAR in their ongoing efforts to undertake research about climate change and its impacts, and to communicate the implications for Antarctica, both within the Antarctic Treaty System and internationally.
The Representatives,
Conscious of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (“SROCC”), which has been approved and accepted by the IPCC plenary, and its Summary for Policy Makers;
Noting the linkages between the observed and projected impacts of global climate change in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean on the Earth system;
Concerned about the implications for Antarctica arising from a warming global climate identified in the SROCC, including increasing melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet and changes to Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems;
Further concerned about the global implications of Antarctic change, notably sea-level rise and ocean circulation;
Recalling Resolution 6 (2015) and remaining committed to communicating Antarctic climate change research internationally;
Welcoming the regular updates by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (“SCAR”) of its Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment report and looking forward to receiving further advice in due course emanating from SCAR’s three new climate change focused Scientific Research Programmes, namely INSTANT, AntClimnow and Ant-ICON;
Recalling also Resolution 4 (2015) and welcoming the ongoing implementation of the Committee for Environmental Protection’s (“CEP”) Climate Change Response Work Programme (“CCRWP”), and the annual updates provided by the CEP to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (“ATCM”);
Recognising the importance of the implementation of the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst-case scenario implications for Antarctica projected by the IPCC;
Determined to seek ways to address the effects of climate and environmental change on the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems;
Recommend that their Governments:
1. ensure their delegations to the next United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”) Conference of the Parties, planned for Glasgow in November 2021, are aware of the implications for Antarctica unless action is taken to avoid a climate crisis, in particular, the projections of its contribution to global sea-level rise, and the implications for upholding the commitment in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (“the Protocol”) to the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems;
2. consider the implications of climate change for Antarctica while managing human activities, and seek to avoid or mitigate additional identified non-climatic stresses to the Antarctic terrestrial and marine environment, including its biodiversity and ecosystems, in order to increase resilience to climate change effects; and
3. support their National Antarctic Programmes and SCAR in their ongoing efforts to undertake research about climate change and its impacts, and to communicate the implications for Antarctica, both within the Antarctic Treaty System and internationally.
