Case Study: The Antarctic Treaty
- The Antarctic is considered a global common
- A global common is when parts of the Earth are considered to be too important to be owned or managed by one single country
- Instead, they should be managed in an equitable and sustainable way for the benefit of everyone
- Antarctica is one of four global commons identified by international law, with the others being:
- Outer space
- The atmosphere
- The seas and oceans
- Outer space
- However, several nations have made territorial claims to parts of the continent - Australia, Chile, Argentina, Norway, France, New Zealand and the UK
- Some of the claims overlap but none of them are recognised by the international community
Map of territorial claims in Antarctica
Map of territorial claims in Antarctica
- If individual countries act in their own self-interest, rather than the interest of the global community, Antarctica will become damaged and depleted
- As global commons are parts of the Earth not owned or managed by any single country, their shared resources belong to everyone, and as such, they require a cooperative approach to management by global institutions
Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic Treaty
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
- As pressure on Antarctica grew, it was decided that the Treaty needed to be strengthened to enhance the protection of the environment
- The Protocol on Environmental Protection (also known as the Madrid Protocol) was signed by 45 nations in 1998
- It established Antarctica as a ‘natural reserve, devoted to peace and science’
Key elements of the Protocol on Environmental Protection
Other principles of the environmental protocol
- Strict rules were introduced to protect against invasive non-native species
- Visitors are to wear disinfected over-boots when on the continent
- Restrictions on eating, drinking and toileting whilst ashore
- Only 100 visitors are allowed to land at any one time
- Cruise ships with over 500 passengers cannot stop
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Antarctic Treaty
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|
The Antarctic Treaty is widely recognised as one of the most successful international agreements |
If countries disagree about an issue, one country can stop a resolution going forward |
| It has lasted over 60 years with no major problems | There are no legal penalties for violating agreements |
| It promotes peaceful cooperation and has helped to prevent military conflicts and tensions | Sometimes it takes a long time for decisions to be made because of the consensus-based decision-making process |
| It promotes scientific research and environmental protection |
- Many believe the treaty should be extended to include more of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica and to cover marine life such as fish and whales
- Although not part of the Antarctic Treaty, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is an area of 50 million square kilometres surrounding the continent of Antarctica where the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has banned all types of commercial whaling
- NGOs also play an important role in monitoring threats and enhancing the protection of Antarctica
- The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) was founded in 1978 by a group of NGOs that were concerned about the impact of human activity in the region
- The coalition includes Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and promotes scientific research with conservation and sustainable use of the area
- ASOC has managed to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) which help to protect the wildlife in the area, such as in the Weddell Sea region, which has helped to protect penguins, whales and seals
- To date, there have been no major issues with the treaty although it is not totally successful, as the treaty does not protect Antarctica from the impact of human-induced global warming and climate change
Worked example
Case study: global scale example of sustainable management in either the Arctic or Antarctic
Assess the success of one global scale sustainable management solution in either the Arctic or Antarctic
[6 marks]
Answer:
- This is a levelled response answer. It is important to remember that each point does not equate to a mark
- The examiner will read your whole answer and make a decision about which level your answer fits into
- However, the answer below highlights where marks would be gained and how the developed points push the paragraph into a level 3 response
- The Antarctic Treaty has been mostly [1] successful at sustainably managing Antarctica. The treaty has helped to preserve the pristine nature [1] of the area by banning drilling for oil, [d1] dumping nuclear waste [d1] and military conflict. [1] Flora and fauna are also protected [1] by banning hunting of seals and whales[d1], protecting the whole food chain [d1]. It is not totally successful [1] as the treaty cannot protect Antarctica from the impact of climate change. [d1]
