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Environmental Protection for Antarctica

How the parties within the Antarctic Treaty seek environmental protection of Antarctica.

(If you don't know about the Antarctic Treaty, I would recommend you read my previous post "Antarctic Treaty Crash Course" before)

After the implementation of the Antarctic Treaty (AT) in the year 1961, the parties belonging to the Treaty gathered in Madrid on October 4th, 1991 to sign the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.

Through this protocol, they fulfilled their need to improve protection of the Antarctic environment and its ecosystems, ensuring that this continent free of sovereignty, would only host peaceful actions.

Looking to ensure all activities in Antarctica remained truthful to the Antarctic Treaty, this Protocol set forth in 1998, mentioned in its preamble all parties were "Convinced that the development of a comprehensive regime for the protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems is in the interest of mankind as a whole."


Labelled as a “natural reserve, devoted to peace and science” in Article 2, all of the Antarctic Treaty area had to be protected. Specifically in Article 3 (supported by Article 8), it is said that "activities in the Antarctic Treaty area shall be planned and conducted so as to limit adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems." Furthermore, Article 7 prohibits all activities relating to Antarctic mineral resources unless they are done for scientific research; with this article the exploitation of minerals and intense drilling is not allowed.


After 1998, six Annexes were developed for this Protocol, entering into force at different moments in time. Compiling many of the articles in these Annexes I can state that the

discharge into the sea of oil/oily mixtures, any plastics, and other kinds of garbage (glass, metal, bottles, crockery, incineration ash) is all prohibited. Likewise, discharge of harmful amounts or concentrations of chemical/toxic substances to the marine environment is also forbidden. Lastly, protecting the flora and fauna of Antarctica, activities that extremely modified the habitats of any species are not allowed; this includes the introduction of diseases of non-native organisms into the Antarctic Treaty area without a permit.


It is very important to keep in mind that most of these articles, in both the Protocol and its Annexes, can be disregarded in emergency situations were the life of humans, or even equipment is in grave danger. Not to mention that certain articles can be put aside with permits or with justified reasons.


FUN FACT: According to the Antarctic Treaty website the Protocol can't be modified until 2048, unless all Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty agree unanimously.

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Check out the original ATS document down below along with the Environmental Protocol

(Both retrieved from: https://www.ats.aq/index_e.htmll)






*To read the six Annexes, check the document section in this link: https://www.ats.aq/e/protocol.html*

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