46TH ANTARCTIC TREATY CONSULTATIVE MEETING (ATCM) BEGINS IN KOCHI: ADDRESSING TOURISM FRAMEWORK AND ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) has commenced in Kochi, India, from May 20 to 30, 2024.

EXPLANATION:

Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM)

• It is hosted by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• This meeting brings together over 350 delegates from more than 60 countries to discuss critical issues concerning the Antarctic region.
• This year’s ATCM marks a significant development with the formation of a special working group dedicated to creating a tourism framework for Antarctica, a response to the increasing threats posed by the rapid growth of tourism.
• The primary goals of the ATCM are to:
  • Foster international collaboration on scientific research.
  • Promote sustainable resource management in Antarctica.
  • Discuss the principles and objectives of the Antarctic Treaty, effective since 1961, which currently has 56 parties, including India.

Formation of the Special Working Group on Tourism

• For the first time, a special working group has been established to create a comprehensive tourism framework for Antarctica.
• This initiative responds to the escalating concerns regarding tourism’s rapid growth and its potential impact on the Antarctic environment.
• The decision to form this working group stemmed from a proposal presented by several countries, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Germany, India, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, during the 45th ATCM in April 2023.
• The proposal emphasized the need for an intensive and dedicated process to develop a consistent framework for managing tourism and other non-governmental activities in Antarctica.
• Increasing Tourism and Its Impacts
  • Tourism in Antarctica has grown substantially, with visitors rising from approximately 8,000 annually in 1993-1994 to 105,000 in 2022-2023.
  • This growth includes more tourists, ships, and visited sites, alongside the diversification of tourism activities, including high-risk adventure tourism.
  • The proposal highlighted the necessity for the ATCM to proactively regulate tourism to mitigate its environmental impacts, particularly when combined with climate change and scientific activities.

Environmental Concerns

• Key environmental concerns associated with increased tourism include:
  • Microplastics and Gray Water: Increased discharge of microplastics and gray water (used for bathing, laundry, etc.) into Antarctic waters.
  • Black Carbon Emissions: Emissions from cruise ship funnels contributing to black carbon deposits.
  • Invasive Species: Introduction of microbes, seeds, and other invasive species by tourists.

Other Working Groups and Discussions

• The ATCM will also feature discussions in two other working groups:
  • Policy, Legal, and Institutional Group
    • This group will focus on:
      • Overseeing the operation of the Antarctic Treaty System.
      • Addressing biological prospecting in Antarctica.
      • Developing a multi-year strategic work plan.
    • Bioprospecting Challenges
      • Bioprospecting, particularly the collection of microorganisms for pharmaceutical use, has emerged as a significant challenge.
      • The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) has noted a growing interest in bioprospecting in Antarctica, but currently, there is no mechanism under the Antarctic Treaty to regulate such commercial activities.
    • Science, Operations, and Tourism Group
      • This group will discuss:
        • Science issues and future science challenges.
        • Scientific cooperation and facilitation.
        • Implications of climate change for the management of the Antarctic Treaty area.
        • Tourism and non-governmental activities, including issues related to competent authorities.

Importance of the Meeting

• Formal regulation of tourism has been delayed for too long.
• However, the upcoming ATCM offers a crucial opportunity to finally adopt enforceable regulations and prevent impacts on Antarctica’s biodiversity.
• The coalition is a global collaboration of conservation organisations working to protect the Antarctic and Southern Ocean’s unique and vulnerable ecosystems.

Antarctic Treaty:

• The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve countries whose scientists had been active in and around Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58.
• It entered into force in 1961 and has since been acceded to by many other nations. The total number of Parties to the Treaty is now 56.
• 12 Original Signatories countries are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• India signed the treaty and received the consultative party status in 1983.
  • Enacted Indian Antarctic Act, 2022, reaffirming its commitment to the Antarctic Treaty.
• India maintains two research stations on the continent: ‘Maitri’ (commissioned in 1989) at Schirmacher Hills and ‘Bharati’ (2012) at Larsemann Hills.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/annual-antarctic-treaty-meet-begins-in-kochi-tourism-framework-to-tackle-growing-threats-in-talks-for-first-time-96264