Sofia Antarctic Treaty Meeting Urged to Step Up Climate Change Role

Sofia, June 1 2015:- As the 2015 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) opens today in the Bulgarian capital, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) urged the ATCM to take action to promote the crucial importance of climate-related Antarctic research and its role in the Earth's interconnected climate systems to the climate change community, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in the run up this year's COP21 climate summit in Paris.

ASOC is also calling on the ATCM, which runs until June 10th, to take all possible actions to address climate change taking place within the Antarctic region, including through focused dialogue within the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), particularly in respect to the important role of a healthy Southern Ocean ecosystem in mitigating (reducing) carbon dioxide that would otherwise exacerbate climate change, and the development of a network of protected areas both on land and at sea.

In its role as the representative of global environmental non-governmental groups with an interested in Antarctica, ASOC will present six papers at this year's ATCM, covering key Antarctic issues such as climate change, protected areas, tourism and shipping:

The Antarctic Treaty System, Climate Change and Strengthened Scientific Interface with Relevant Bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

This ASOC paper outlines the important role of the Antarctic Treaty System in promoting the relevance of climate-related Antarctic research to the global climate change community, and of taking appropriate management actions in Antarctica, where possible, to address the effects of climate change.

Climate Change 2015: A Report Card

ASOC's annual Climate Change Report Card summarizes up-to-date scientific findings on climate change in the Antarctic, including environmental changes such as temperature, ice sheets and glaciers, sea ice, ocean acidification, and species impacts. This year we also introduce a new category of "blue carbon" reflecting the uptake of carbon by krill.

Expanding Antarctica's Protected Areas System

To date over 70 Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) have been designated by the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), but recent analysis has found these do not fulfill the terms of the Protocol. In this paper, ASOC discusses how Antarctica Protected Areas System (ATCP) can counter this by increasing the size and number of ASPAs, with a focus on achieving representation of all known Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions (ACBRs) and designating inviolate areas, wilderness areas, and areas of interest to science.

Antarctic Tourism and Protected Areas

This document discusses the interface between protected areas, in a broad sense, and the regulation and management of tourism. ASOC also discusses how area protection may be used with respect to potential vectors of tourism expansion, particularly the use of airstrips and dedicated land based tourism facilities.

Cumulative Impact Assessment

This paper briefly reviews discussions on cumulative impact assessment, with particular reference to shipborne and land based tourism, the establishment and operation of research stations, concepts of footprint and wilderness, and multi-year strategic planning.

Polar Code in Antarctica: Next steps for Vessel Management in the Southern Ocean

This paper summarizes a few new requirements of the Code and highlights some areas, which ASOC believes should have received further consideration during the IMO's Part II of the Polar Code, which was finalized in May 2015.

Accessing the papers:

ASOC papers for this ATCM, plus those submitted to previous meetings are available here:
http://www.asoc.org/component/content/article/379#sofia

ASOC's recent commentary on the adoption of Part II of the Polar Code is available here:
http://www.asoc.org/explore/latest-news/1473-new-polar-code-fails-to-protect-antarctic-waters

About ASOC:

Founded in 1978, ASOC is the only non-governmental organization working full time to preserve the Antarctic continent and its surrounding Southern Ocean. A coalition of over 30 NGOs interested in Antarctic environmental protection, ASOC represents the environmental community at Antarctic governance meetings, such as the ATCM and CCAMLR and works to promote important Antarctic conservation goals. Read more on asoc.org.

More information:
Members of the ASOC team are available for interviews and comment regarding Antarctic-related environmental issues during the ATCM. For more information, contact Dave Walsh, ASOC Communications Director, on +32 493 140 966 or dave.walsh@asoc.org. You can also follow and contact ASOC via twitter @antarcticasouth

ATCM Background:

The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) is the primary forum in which the representatives of Parties to the Antarctic Treaty exchange information, formulate measures, and make decisions and resolutions in order to promote the principles and objectives of the Treaty. The outcomes of Treaty meetings are adopted by consensus of the Consultative Parties.

The Antarctic Treaty is the cornerstone of the Antarctic Treaty System, which provides for the cooperative governance of the vast Antarctic continent and surrounding Austral Ocean (Southern Ocean).

The ATCM meets annually. The Consultative Parties host the meeting according to the alphabetical order of their names in English. In 2015, Bulgaria will host the ATCM for the first time. The invitation to participate in the ATCM includes individuals and delegations representing:

The 29 Consultative Parties: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea (ROK), Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

The 22 non-Consultative Parties: Austria, Belarus, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Korea (DPRK), Malaysia, Monaco, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Turkey and Venezuela.

Three Observers: the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP), and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

Invited Experts: the Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Provided by Antarctic & Southern Ocean Coalition