Transcript First Fifty Years of the Antarctic Treaty System

The Antarctic Treaty
A brief history .
“The Antarctic Treaty is indispensable to the
world of science which knows no national or
other political boundaries; but it is much
more than that. I believe it is a document
unique in history which may take its place
alongside the Magna Carta and other great
symbols of man's quest for enlightenment
and order.”
Laurence Gould
The Antarctic Treaty
• Antarctica is “a natural reserve devoted to peace
and science”
• The Antarctic Treaty manages the region’s
wildlife
• Mining is forbidden
• The Treaty runs indefinitely
• Forty-four countries have acceded to the
Antarctic Treaty (80% of the world population)
• All 44 countries have to agree to Treaty revisions
No Country “owns” Antarctic
Many Countries have
claimed regions of
Antarctica from the
time of the early
explorers.
INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR
JULY 1, 1957 – DECEMBER 31, 1958
Science in Antarctica
was emphasized in
1957 and 1958. The
International Polar
Year (IPY) was
celebrated in 2008 and
2009 and emphasized
all polar research.
Preamble of the Treaty
• The Governments of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile,
the French Republic, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the
Union of South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, and the United States of America,
• Recognizing that it is in the interest of all mankind that
Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively
for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or
object of international discord;
• Acknowledging the substantial contributions to scientific
knowledge resulting from international cooperation in
scientific investigation in Antarctica;
Preamble Continued
• Convinced that the establishment of a firm foundation for
the continuation and development of such cooperation on
the basis of freedom of scientific investigation in
Antarctica as applied during the International
Geophysical Year accords with the interests of science
and the progress of all mankind;
• Convinced also that a treaty ensuring the use of
Antarctica for peaceful purposes only and the
continuance of international harmony in Antarctica will
further the purposes and principles embodied in the
Charter of the United Nations;
• Have agreed as follows:
Main Points of Interest in the Treaty
Scientific Considerations
Antarctic Websites