ASOC
2024: Looking Back, Moving Forward
2024 represented a year of ASOC doubling down our efforts to protect one of the fastest changing places on Earth and pressing for more global attention for the region. We welcomed new faces to the team and champions both old and new were put into action to deliver meaningful support to Antarctica: a place where extreme events are increasing, species are shifting, and the managing body set up to protect it remains stalled.
We will continue the fight into 2025, an important milestone year as it sets the mark for five years needed to achieve 30×30 ambition. Presently only 13% of Southern Ocean is protected, so there remains a long journey ahead. If the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) were to adopt the four outstanding Marine Protected Area (MPA) proposals currently under consideration, the total protected area would climb to 26%. 2025 is an opportunity for action.
Good news research roundup
The 2024 Antarctic ozone hole is the 7th smallest since regulations on ozone-depleting chemicals began in the 1990s.
Antarctic krill sequester as much carbon through sinking feces as mangroves and seagrass, adding to the case for protecting this critical keystone species.
Four previously unknown emperor penguin colonies were spotted using satellites.
Hitting the ground running: January – April
The year began on a strong note for ASOC, with a collaboration with the Republic of Korea to host a virtual workshop on transshipment and other CCAMLR compliance issues. This event brought together CCAMLR delegates, industry representatives, civil society, and researchers. The workshop’s outcomes were later presented at CCAMLR-43.
Following this, ASOC participated in the Monaco Polar Symposium, where we underscored the critical importance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean. We also raised pressing concerns about the rapid and extensive environmental changes occurring in Antarctica, while advocating for the tools needed to effectively mitigate these impacts from climate change.
In April, we attended the inaugural Research and Monitoring Plan (RMP) workshop for Phase 2 of the Weddell Sea MPA. We presented our vision for a well-protected Weddell Sea region and emphasized key elements that should be included in the proposed RMP.
In April, ASOC, joined by champions for Antarctic protection like John Kerry, Genevieve Pons, and Pascal Lamy, attended Our Ocean to meet with key leaders.
Turning up the heat: May – August
As temperatures cooled in the south, ASOC turned up the heat by expanding our capacity with new campaigners and champions joining the fight. Argentinian surfers and filmmakers Los Gauchos del Mar became the latest Antarctica2030 Champions, bringing their passion for ocean conservation to the campaign. James Honeyborne, filmmaker and producer of Netflix’s Our Ocean, also signed on as an Antarctica2030 Champion, adding his influential voice to the cause.
Right: Artwork that inspired the youth-created mural reflecting Antarctica’s connected species.
In May, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), a pivotal annual forum for Antarctic governance, took place in Kochi, India. At the ATCM, ASOC raised alarms about the unchecked and rapidly growing tourism sector, urging delegates to develop a robust regulatory framework. We also amplified the call for the protection of emperor penguins and advocated for stricter measures to curb pollution and address climate change. Youth made their voices heard, creating a mural that was unveiled for delegates to highlight the interconnectedness of Antarctic wildlife.
After the ATCM, we attended the UN Ocean Conference Preparatory Meeting in Costa Rica, themed Immersed in Change. We hosted a side event titled Guardians of Antarctica. In conjunction with World Ocean Day and UNOC Costa Rica, Antarctica2030 Champions Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau shared their personal connection to Antarctica and their commitment to its protection through a compelling op-ed, reaching a broad audience and inspiring key leaders.
Right: ASOC team with Chilean MFA van Klaveren at UNOC Immersed in Change
We ended the boreal summer and Antarctica winter by traveling to Incheon, South Korea for the CCAMLR Harmonization Symposium—a unique intersessional opportunity. Co-funded by ASOC, this symposium aimed to foster collaboration between fisheries management and marine conservation to refine the D1MPA proposal and improve the krill fishery around the Antarctic Peninsula to better protect predators. It was a hopeful demonstration that progress is achievable when parties collaborate and compromise. However, this spirit of cooperation proved short-lived, as the momentum stalled at the subsequent CCAMLR meeting, leaving the D1MPA once again unadopted.
Delivering our ambition: September – December
The final stretch of the year began at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), a critical global forum and an opportunity for ASOC to spotlight the importance of Antarctica. With the support of our champions, ASOC brought Antarctica into key discussions and events, reminding world leaders that this is one of the planet’s last wild places—one that urgently requires global, collaborative action to protect.
Hot on the heels of UNGA came the annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)—a pivotal moment in ASOC’s year. This meeting serves as the decision-making nexus for fishing quotas, Marine Protected Areas, and the protection of Antarctica’s iconic wildlife.
Coinciding with the meeting, ASOC released a landmark report, Protecting a Changing Southern Ocean, which shed light on the rapid transformations occurring in the region due to climate change, fishing pressures, and tourism. The report outlined key actions necessary to safeguard this fragile ecosystem and was well-received by CCAMLR members, gaining traction across various platforms.
Right: ASOC at COP16 in Cali, Columbia.
As the outcomes of CCAMLR continued to unfold, global attention shifted to the season of COPs, where ASOC was active at both CBD COP16 and UNFCCC COP29. At these critical events, ASOC ensured Antarctica remained on the agenda. At CBD COP16, we hosted a side event that explored the role of CCAMLR MPAs in delivering the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, emphasizing the Southern Ocean’s contribution to global biodiversity targets. At UNFCCC COP29, ASOC partnered with the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) to present the ‘Protecting a Changing Southern Ocean’ report, underscoring how climate change amplifies the need for immediate protections, such as the establishment of MPAs.
Amidst the momentum of the COPs, ASOC, supported by Antarctica2030, delivered a roundtable event at the second Polar Summit during the Arctic Circle Assembly. While traditionally focused on Arctic issues, this forum provided an opportunity to reinforce emerging linkages between the polar regions and advocate for a unified approach to their protection.
Throughout the fall, we amplified our message on social media by sharing powerful videos from our champions, including UN Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson, former Costa Rican President José María Figueres, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Monica Medina. ASOC and our advocates contributed a series of impactful op-eds. These included Chilean ice swimmer Bárbara Hernández, known as the “Ice Mermaid,” and the surfer-filmmaker duo Los Gauchos del Mar, highlighting the importance of Southern Ocean protection on Antarctica Day. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also lent her voice, urging G20 leaders to prioritize the protection of Antarctica. Their voices highlighted the urgent need to protect Antarctica and inspired global audiences to join the call for action.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
2024 has been a year of transformation. We expanded our team, deepened our global engagement at higher political levels, and strengthened our collective resolve. Yet, our mission remains unchanged: to ensure Antarctica’s protection keeps pace with the unprecedented rate of change we now witness. Climate change and increasing human activity have left little time to act, and the Southern Ocean hangs in the balance.
We also pause to remember the crew of the Argos Georgia, whose tragic loss this year serves as a sobering reminder of the Southern Ocean’s unforgiving nature.
As we look to 2025, the waters ahead may be stormy, but our course is clear. Our destination remains resolute: the protection and preservation of Antarctica.
From all of us at ASOC, we wish you a joyful festive season and a bright start to 2025.