Antarctica Protection Protocol

1998/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia
• Ingurumena

On January 14, the Protocol for the Protection of Antarctica entered into force, which will last for 50 years.

26 states have signed this agreement, which will last for half a century. The confrontation has been enormous, as some countries have huge economic interests in this region. Antarctica occupies an average of 12 million square kilometers, but in winter, when ice expands, its area of influence is much wider.

The Protocol prevents the exploitation of minerals and oil. In addition, potentially harmful activities for the local habitat, such as the use of pesticides, the entry of dogs and the work of research groups that frequent Antarctica, will be controlled.

The first relations for the signing of the Protocol began in 1991 and obviously took some time to balance these economic interests. Japan, Russia and the US have especially competed to set the management criteria for this gigantic region.

Environmental groups have generally noted the news, but some have warned that it is not enough. Greenpeace, for example, recalled that nothing will be done to restore the state of the oceans in the area and even denounced that the Protocol does not provide for measures to reduce fishing. Therefore, the signatory countries will be able to continue hunting whales and threatening penguins, as until now.