At its special meeting in Santiago de Chile, the Antarctic Commission CCAMLR was unable to agree on the designation of new marine protected areas. China and Russia in particular prevented a consensus being reached on three new protected areas in the Southern Ocean at the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) conference in the Chilean capital, environmental organizations said after the meeting on Friday (local time).
“Scientific studies show that the protection of the Southern Ocean is becoming increasingly urgent. Unfortunately, this special session ended as the previous six annual meetings ended: with two countries blocking the process of the other 25 CCAMLR members to make progress towards a network of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean,” said the Director for Conservation Antarctica and the Southern Ocean at the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, Andrea Kavanagh.
The USA, the EU, Great Britain, Australia, Norway, Uruguay, New Zealand, India, South Korea, Ukraine, Argentina, and Chile had proposed the designation of three protected areas in East Antarctica, the Weddell Sea, and the Antarctic Peninsula with a total area of around four million square kilometers. This corresponds to about one percent of the world’s oceans.
“CCAMLR plays the most important role in protecting the Southern Ocean. For more than eleven years, it has not achieved its goal of establishing a representative network of marine protection areas,” said Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Managing Director of Deutsche Umwelthilfe. “We urgently need action at the highest political level in the upcoming CCAMLR meetings to move forward on the designation of the existing proposals of three marine protected areas.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230624-99-168302/5
What were the key obstacles preventing consensus on the proposed marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean at the CCAMLR meeting?
Controversy Over Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean at CCAMLR Meeting
The recent meeting of the Antarctic Commission CCAMLR in Santiago de Chile ended without agreement on the designation of new marine protected areas. China and Russia were the key obstacles, preventing consensus on three proposed protected areas in the Southern Ocean, according to environmental organizations.
The urgency of protecting the Southern Ocean has been highlighted by scientific studies, but progress has been repeatedly hindered at these annual meetings. Andrea Kavanagh, the Director for Conservation Antarctica and the Southern Ocean at the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress.
Countries including the USA, EU, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand had proposed the designation of three protected areas in East Antarctica, the Weddell Sea, and the Antarctic Peninsula, encompassing a total area of four million square kilometers. This would constitute around one percent of the world’s oceans.
The failure to reach an agreement underscores the need for action at a higher political level within CCAMLR. Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Managing Director of Deutsche Umwelthilfe, called for urgent action in future meetings to move forward on the existing proposals for marine protected areas.
CCAMLR plays a critical role in protecting the Southern Ocean, but progress in establishing a comprehensive network of marine protection areas has been lacking for over a decade. Addressing this issue is crucial for safeguarding the delicate ecosystem of the Southern Ocean.
It’s disheartening to witness a failure to reach an agreement on establishing marine protected areas in Antarctica. The lack of consensus raises valid concerns about the preservation of this unique and delicate ecosystem. Urgent action is needed to prioritize the long-term sustainability and protection of Antarctic marine life.