No framework to regulate tourism in Antarctica at annual Antarctic Treaty Kochi meet, decision pushed to next meeting

Countries meeting at the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ACTM) in Kochi from May 20-30 did not adopt a framework to regulate tourism in Antarctica. But they committed to doing so in the near future.

Nations adopted a decision to develop an “ambitious, comprehensive, flexible, and dynamic framework” for regulating tourism and non-governmental activities in Antarctica.

ACTM is an annual meeting that encourages international collaboration on scientific research and sustainable resource management in the icy continent, along with discussing the principles and objectives of the Antarctic Treaty, which went into effect in 1961. The Treaty, which has provisions for using the icy continent for only peaceful purposes, freedom of scientific investigation, and exchange of scientific information, currently has 56 parties, including India.

On the opening day of the ACTM meeting, India, which hosted the meeting, announced that a special working group had been formed to create a tourism framework for Antarctica, for the first time.

“Most of the discussion at the 46th ACTM was about consolidating the decision to consider this framework in years to come, in the next 12 months and beyond. Thus, it was not a substantive decision, other than concerning agreeing to have this discussion,” Ricardo Roura, senior advisor for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), a global coalition of environmental non-governmental organisations, told Down To Earth. 

Raura said some Parties were keener on regulating tourism than others. “Some are quite supportive of minimal regulation or of adapting regulations to the practices developed by the industry. However, unlike in previous years, there is a general agreement to discuss this issue seriously,” he said.

Parties to the Antarctica Treaty unanimously agreed on a list of priority items that will be discussed before the next ATCM meeting to take this proposed tourism regulation framework forward.

The priority areas, according to Roura, are tourism growth and diversification, monitoring, compliance and enforcement, and governance. “So this is the beginning of a long term process,” he pointed out.

A document titled “Comprehensive and Consistent Framework for the Regulation of Tourism and Other Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area — Suggestions for a Framework Structure”, prepared by a host of countries including India, states that consultative Parties have been invited to develop proposals before the convening of that first meeting to ensure due preparation of discussions.

It remains to be seen whether this discussion results in substantial outcomes, while tourism continues to grow and diversify, Roura added.

A 2024 study estimated that visitors to Antarctica, mostly by ship, have risen from about 8,000 a year in 1993-1994 to 105,000 in 2022-2023. This could significantly impact the Antarctic environment, which is sensitive to climate change.

Further, the ASOC noted that countries responded positively to concerns raised on the unregulated disposal of gray water (wastewater without any contributions from toilet water) in the Antarctic Treaty Area. Only sewage (black water) is regulated under an annex of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.

Roura said that Parties, in general, supported proposed initiatives to share best practices, discuss definitions, and investigate options for gray water management in the coming meetings. “Tourism industry representatives also indicated a willingness to engage on the topic. Some Parties expressed concern about the unknown environmental impacts of unregulated gray water disposal in the Antarctic Treaty Area, and support further scientific research in this area,” he explained.

Additionally, Parties discussed liability, biological prospecting, exchange of information, education and awareness, a multi-year strategic work plan, safety, inspections, science, future science challenges, scientific cooperation, climate change implications, tourism management, and the like.

No decision was taken on a proposal to designate the emperor penguin as a Specially Protected Species within the Antarctic Treaty System. So far, only one species, the Ross Seal, has been given this status in the continent. In 2022, the United Kingdom proposed to include Emperor Penguin in this category, but one country blocked this.

“ASOC is extremely concerned that the ATCM is unable to agree to use the conservation tools available to it, which have been agreed to by all Parties, to designate the emperor penguin as a Specially Protected Species. Moreover, the proposal was based on a compelling scientific analysis, which almost all Parties explicitly supported. We cannot understand the objections to taking this action,” said Claire Christian, ASOC’s executive director, said in a statement.

Rising temperatures and changing wind patterns impact the sea ice, which is essential for emperor penguins to breed. Their population could go down by more than 50 per cent by 2100, studies have warned.