Protecting Antarctica

By creating large zones where certain activities are restricted or prevented, marine protected areas (MPAs) can reduce stress on the ocean and its ecosystems, helping them build resilience to climate change.

ASOC advocates strongly for a representative network of MPAs in the Southern Ocean, starting with existing proposals in East Antarctica, the Weddell Sea, and the Antarctic Peninsula.

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is the body responsible for designating and regulating MPAs in the Southern Ocean, and has been working towards creating a representative system of MPAs around Antarctica since 2002. In 2009, all CCAMLR Members made a formal agreement to realize this network by 2012.

Despite overwhelming scientific evidence to support the establishment of new Antarctic MPAs, and despite the efforts of many Members, only 5% of the Southern Ocean has been protected to date, and CCAMLR’s own deadline has long since passed.

ASOC attends annual CCAMLR meetings in Hobart, Australia, where we submit policy papers and encourage decision-makers to pursue outcomes that conserve and protect the Southern Ocean, including designating MPAs.

Learn more about our Marine Protected Areas campaigns. 

Read ASOC policy papers and reports to CCAMLR.

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (commonly known as the Environmental Protocol, Madrid Protocol, or simply the Protocol) is an instrument of the Antarctic Treaty System. Signed in Madrid on 4 October, 1991 and entering into force in 1998, the Protocol comprises a suite of legally binding provisions that place environmental protection at the core of all human conduct in Antarctica. 

Although the Protocol has been in effect for over 25 years, some important provisions still haven’t been brought into effect. For example, we are still waiting for a system of protected areas to be created, as per article 12(1)(g), and for a liability regime to be established, as per article 16.

ASOC campaigns for the full and effective implementation of the Environmental Protocol, which reflects the intent and commitment of those Parties involved in its negotiation and ratification.

Read our policy paper on the implementation of Annexes to the Environmental Protocol (2025).

Read ASOC policy papers and reports to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM).

ASOC sends a delegation to all major Antarctic governance meetings, where we engage with decision makers, submit policy papers, and provide comments on the submissions of Parties and other organizations.  

We advocate for ambitious, precautionary, science-backed policies, including large protected areas, that will help reduce the stress on Antarctic ecosystems from local human activities such as fishing, tourism, and scientific research. We also urge Parties to take immediate action to address global threats to the Antarctic, particularly climate change, which represents the greatest threat to the integrity of Antarctica today.

Read ASOC policy papers and reports to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM).

Read ASOC policy papers and reports to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).

Photo credit: Bob Zuur

The question of who is liable for environmental damage in Antarctica is critical to its protection. An environmental emergency in Antarctica would be disastrous and costly to remedy, with grave consequences for fragile ecosystems in areas that are extremely difficult to access.

Despite decades of negotiation, the question of who is liable for damage caused in the Antarctic Treaty area remains unanswered. If there was a major environmental incident in Antarctic waters, there are several unknowns: who is responsible for coordinating the cleanup response? Who pays for the repair work? Who ensures that it’s done, and done well? How is this enforced? And what happens if the responsible parties refuse to do the work? Without answers to these questions, an environmental crisis could turn into a global disaster. 

As the Exxon Valdez oil spill showed us in the 1980s, environmental emergencies in remote areas are costly, time-consuming, and resource-intensive to remediate. Establishing liability for environmental damage in Antarctica is essential, both to promote accountability among those operating in Antarctica, and to discourage high-risk activities.

ASOC continues to advocate for the adoption of preventive regulations that both deter parties and operators from taking risks that could cause environmental damage, and establish liability in advance of an incident.