Submitted by
Catherine.Wallace
on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 03:23
General Information
Resolution
43782
IUCN Constituent
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Member organisation
Period covered
Geographic scope
Antarctica
Country/Territory
New Zealand
Actors involved in implementing this Resolution:
IUCN Members
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand ( New Zealand )
Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition ( 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
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Activity
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Description and results/achievements of activities:
ECO 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.
Status
On-going
Activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description and results/achievements of activities:
This 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.
Status
On-going
Describe any challenges encountered in implementing this Resolution and the measures taken
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.
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.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions/activities are planned for the implementation of this Resolution
Future action / activity
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Description
Continued 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.
Future action / activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description
Vigilance 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.
Report status
Published
Constituent type
IUCN Member