Annual Antarctic meeting endorses New Zealand initiatives

20 June 2012

Annual Antarctic meeting endorses New Zealand initiatives

Antarctic Treaty Parties meeting in Hobart have supported New Zealand proposals in areas ranging from protection for geothermal sites to improving vessel safety.

Carolyn Schwalger, the head of New Zealand’s delegation to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, says the Antarctic Treaty System is serving New Zealand well. “It ensures that Antarctica is used exclusively for peaceful purposes and does not become a cause of international discord.”

Over 250 people, including representatives from Antarctic Treaty Parties, experts and observers, attended the meeting, which was held from 11-20 June in Hobart. Malaysian and Pakistan joined the Antarctic Treaty this year, bringing the number of Parties to 50.

Key pressures facing Antarctica include growing and diversifying human activities, accelerating climate change, ocean acidification, introductions of non-native species, and changes in food web dynamics.

As well as agreeing to establish protection for a number of geothermal sites and endorsing a New Zealand-developed approach to monitoring areas of important vegetation, the meeting strongly backed a joint proposal by New Zealand and the Netherlands to develop guidelines to protect wilderness values.

Dr Neil Gilbert, New Zealand’s representative to the Antarctic Treaty’s Committee for Environmental Protection, says, “As the world’s coldest, least populated and most pristine continent, there is still much to learn about the world’s southernmost region, and what it has to tell us about the rest of the planet.”

Lou Sanson, Chief Executive of Antarctica New Zealand, says he was pleased with the results of United States/Russian Federation inspection of New Zealand’s Scott Base that was reported back to the meeting.

“We’re proud that New Zealand’s efforts to use renewable wind energy for almost all of Scott Base’s energy needs and our broad range of environmental and scientific initiatives were recognised.”

During the meeting, New Zealand led discussions on vessel safety, following recent incidents involving stricken fishing boats in the Ross Sea. Parties agreed with New Zealand that unauthorised, commercially-motivated expeditions, such as those of the Nilaya/Berserk yachts, were of serious concern, and confirmed their commitment to promoting safe and responsible vessel activity in the Southern Ocean.

New Zealand’s Don MacKay chaired the tourism working group at the meeting, which adopted all recommendations from a comprehensive study on the environmental aspects and impacts of tourism, authored by Dr Gilbert.

“Work is still needed to enhance safe and environmentally responsible tourism activities in the region”, says Ms Schwalger.

Ahead of next year’s meeting, New Zealand will lead work on improving data and information on tourism activities.

New Zealand has also been asked to take a lead on developing guidance for repair and remediation of environmental damage in the region, including the clean-up of historic waste disposal sites and abandoned facilities.

“We will also be preparing to contribute to a special session at next year’s meeting on search and rescue, given New Zealand’s responsibility to coordinate search and rescue in such a vast expanse of the Southern Ocean”, says Ms Schwalger.

New Zealand also used the meeting to update Parties on its work to develop a proposal for a Ross Sea region marine protected area which, if successful, will be the world’s largest marine protected area.

ENDS

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