Some of the major highlights of this year’s Antarctic Parliament were: the push for an ‘all inclusive’ governance; the first-ever introduction to the tourism framework and the initiation of its drafting; and the announcement of the Maitri-II research station.

On matters of tourism, India had first raised concerns at the New Delhi ATCM meet way back in 2007. Operated mostly by private tour operators of select countries, Antarctica has been seeing an exponential rise in the number of visitors, and outside researchers coming there in recent years. Estimates suggest that in 2023, there were one lakh visitors to Antarctica.

Experts working in the polar sciences argued that the impact of tourism on Antarctica is not fully understood, yet. All Antarctica Treaty Parties in attendance in Kochi agreed upon the need for having a framework for tourism.

At Kochi, a resolution and an annexe were nearly worked out. Importantly, the annexe will cover the environmental liability aspect concerning activities in Antarctica. Easier said than done, the formulation of any framework is both time-consuming and lengthy, given that it covers legal, liability and many other layered aspects which cannot reach consensus from over 50 parties within a few days of the treaty meeting. In the next ATCM to be held in Italy in 2025, further deliberations on the tourism framework are expected. Once the consensus on the framework is reached, there will be stringent regulations governing tourism activities in Antarctica.

In Kochi, India announced a successor to its 35-year-old Maitri research base. The decision was welcomed positively. Now, India will get onto the drawing board and chalk out its architectural and environmental plans before the union government. Once ready, the environment report of Maitri-II will be tabled before and seek clearance from the Committee on Environment Protection. India is expected to get Maitri-II operational in the early 2030s.

At Kochi, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia became the latest entrant to the club of Antarctic Treaty Parties at the recently concluded meet.
Attended by more than 400 members representing 56 countries, the ATCM-46 in Kochi also saw discussions on sea ice change, protecting the emperor penguin, enhancing environmental impact assessment of major activities and developing an international framework for environmental monitoring in Antarctica.

What was India’s message?

As followers of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India informed the Antarctic Parliament that it chooses to adopt an ‘all inclusive’ approach with nations, who wish to work towards preserving Antarctica and its resources. India underscored the need for opening the Antarctic Treaty to more nations and together, shoulder responsibilities for governance, research, and framing laws and policies.

India’s message was strong and clear: geopolitics from the mainland must not be a deterrent when it came to the issue of governance of Antarctica. India reminded the Consultative Parties (those with authority to vote and take decisions) at Kochi that the treaty cannot remain as an ‘exclusive club’ of select nations. Canada and Belarus have been working towards becoming Consultative Parties in the Treaty but they are yet to succeed.

Why is Antarctica important?

It is the world’s fifth largest continent spanning 14 million sq km area. Nearly 98% of Antarctica is covered in thick ice sheets which hold about 75% of the earth’s freshwater reserves. This white continent is unique for its wildlife and pristine environment. Located close to the South Pole, Antarctica experiences extreme cold, dry and windy conditions.

More importantly, under the global warming scenario, it is three poles of the Earth: the north, the south and the Himalayas, that are facing the maximum brunt. At the Kochi meet, more areas of Antarctica were earmarked as ‘protected’.

The fastened rates of permafrost thawing are also a worry at these poles. Permafrost is the rock and soil layers frozen beneath the active ice sheet. Rising temperatures have accelerated the thawing of this permafrost, which in turn exposes and causes the organic matter, like plants, to decompose. This further leads to the release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, adding to global climate change. More geographical areas of the Antarctic have been ‘protected’ as areas previously studied by early Antarctic expeditions have been rendered unsafe due to thawing permafrost. In this year’s meeting, 17 revised and new management plans for the Antarctic Specially Protected Areas were adopted.

Another risk over Antarctica due to growing tourism and increased human presence, in general, is that of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The Kochi deliberations focused on the newest scientific findings that the air and atmosphere over  Antarctica were polluted and carried the potential risk of HPAI affecting the indigenous living creatures. The meeting underlined prescribing standard biosecurity guidelines for HPAI to eliminate and mitigate the risk to humans, as well as spreading the disease in Antarctica through human activities.