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GA 1988 REC 053 - Activity Report

Submitted by Catherine.Wallace on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 03:23
General Information
The Antarctic: minerals activity
IUCN Constituent: 
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2019
Geographic scope: 
Antarctica
Country/Territory: 
New Zealand
In implementing this Resolution your organization has worked/consulted with...
IUCN Members: 
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand / New Zealand
Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition ( ASOC ) / United States of America
IUCN Secretariat: 
No
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NZ Government, NZ policy community, Universities
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessECO and ASOC continue to educate and raise awareness of the non extractive values of Antarctica and the need to abide by the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty. We debunk claims that the indefinite moratorium will automatically expire in 2048.On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyThis 1988 resolution was done on the cusp of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties signing the Antarctic Minerals Regime. Lead by ENGOs and public opinion and Belgium, France and Australia, they then abandoned the Minerals Regime and instead negotiated the Protocol for Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty which was then done in 1991 and came into force in 1998. Despite our and others' urging, they did not adopt a permanent ban on mining and other non-science minerals activities in Antarctica, and instead adopted an indefinite ban on such activity to last at least 50 years and only then to be lifted under stringent conditions. ECO, ASOC, the Antarctic Treaty Parties and others in the international community continue to try to monitor the science related minerals activity to try to ensure that the indefinite ban is not being flouted.On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken: 
As reported above, the Antarctic Minerals Regime was abandoned and failed to take effect. The Antarctic Environmental Protocol with an indefinite but at least 50+ year ban on non-science minerals activity took effect in 1998.
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
This resolution in 1988 was a significant part of a major NGO-led campaign. Secrecy, arrogance, and unwillingness to accept that some places should be off limits to human activities were major barriers. Public campaigning, lifting the veil of secrecy, and stressing the potential for resource rivalry and the potential for conflict in the South were all critical elements as was determination.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessContinued awareness raising of the vital nature of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean and the need to refrain from extracting minerals, especially fossil fuels. Getting awareness of the negative consequences of resource rivalry and the potential for substitution, 2nd hand resource recovery and reuse are all vital.
Policy influencing/advocacyVigilance to ensure that nations do not develop policy, plans or expectations of exploration, mining or other non-science activities in Antarctica. Recognition and celebration of the Antarctic as a nature reserve devoted to peace and science.