Antarctic Treaty

On 23rd June, 2021, the 1959 Antarctic Treaty celebrated its 60th anniversary. It remains the only example of a single treaty that governs a whole continent.

Background

• The Antarctic Treaty System is the whole complex of arrangements made for the purpose of regulating relations among states in the Antarctic.
• The original Parties to the Treaty were the 12 nations active in the Antarctic during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58.
• The Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961
• Antarctica is defined as all of the land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude.

Important Provisions

• Article IV, which effectively seeks to neutralise territorial sovereignty in Antarctica.
• No formal recognition was given to any of the seven territorial claims on the continent
• The treaty put a freeze on any disputes between claimants over their territories on the continent.
• Claimants agreed to abide by the rules and obligations of the treaty, which meant countries that don’t recognise claims (such as China and Russia) are free to go about scientific research and peaceful activities.

Challenges

• There is considerable speculation as to China’s interests in Antarctic resources, especially fisheries and minerals, and whether China may seek to exploit weaknesses in the treaty system to secure access to those resources.
• Argentina and the UK have overlapping claims to territory on the continent. When combined with their ongoing dispute over the nearby Falkland (Malvinas) Islands, their Antarctic relationship remains frosty.
• Tensions have arisen in recent years over the promotion of Southern Ocean marine reserves. Agreement was reached in 2016 on a Ross Sea Marine Protected Area, and momentum is building for a broader network of Southern Ocean marine protected areas. China and Russia have resisted these initiatives.