ATCM Approves India Setting up of Third Rresearch Station in Antarctica

The two-week long XXX Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) concluded here yesterday. The meeting was inaugurated by the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Kapil Sibal on 30th April 2007 in which Prof. U.R. Rao, an eminent Indian Space Scientist and Former Chairman, Space Commission was elected as the Chairman of the XXX ATCM.

The meeting during its two-week long delebrations concluded as follows:

The Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) after reviewing the revised draft Management Plans for two Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA) of Larsemann Hills and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, referred them to ATCM, which were finally adopted by ATCM. The CEP, after reviewing, advised the ATCM that the draft Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation (CEE) of the new Indian Research Base at Larsemann Hills adequately meets the requirement, which was subsequently endorsed by ATCM. This clears the way for India to go ahead with development of a detailed plan of the Research Base at the site selected by India. In that direction, India will be finalizing the CEE of the new Base in next few months.

This year more than 37000 tourists entered the Antarctic Treaty Area - an increase of about 14% over the last season. The meeting adopted a Resolution for regulation of ship-based tourism in the Antarctic waters. It also decided to address the safety issues in a more cohesive way. The issue of land-based tourism was discussed at length which if not regulated may lead to more than a minor or transitory impact on Antarctica. Some parties have raised concern about this and urged concrete steps need to be taken as limiting possible future development of tourist infrastructure in Antarctica. The Resolutions taken in this ATCM will be a valuable first step, which are as follows:

"Parties consistent with their National Laws, should:

1. Discourage or decline to authorize tour operators that use vessels carrying more than 500 passengers from making any landings in Antarctica; and
   
2. Encourage or require tour operators to:
   

   a) Coordinate with each other such that not more than one tourist vessel is at a landing site at any one time;

   b) Restrict the number of passengers on shore at any one time to 100 or fewer, unless otherwise specified in applicable ATCM Measures or Resolutions; and

   c) Maintain a minimum 1:20 guide-to-passenger ratio while ashore, unless otherwise specified in applicable Measures or Resolutions.”

"Parties discourage any tourism activities which may substantially contribute to the long-term degradation of the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems”.

Another resolution passed by the ATCM was to support long-term monitoring and sustained observations of the Antarctic environment and the associated data management as a primary legacy of the International Polar Year, to enable the detection, and underpin the understanding and forecasting of the impacts of the environmental and climate change.

Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Minister for External Affairs addressed the delegates at the closing session. Nearly 300 delegates and experts representing over 37 countries and organizations participated in the Meeting. During the deliberations, 45 Working Papers supported by over 140 Information Papers, a record for an ATCM were presented and discussed. The discussion of the meeting focused on protection of Antarctic Environment, regulation of growing tourism, global climate change and its impact on the icy continent and managing Antarctica as a continent of peace and science.

ATCM XXX adopted 3 Measures, 5 Resolutions and 4 Decisions covering a number of issues, which included among others,

• Antarctic Historic Sites and Monuments – Monument to the Antarctic Treaty,
  
• Antarctic Specially Protected Areas – Revised Management Plans,
  
• Antarctic Specially Managed Areas – Designations and Management Plans,
  
• Ship-based Tourism in the Antarctic Treaty Area,
  
• Tourism in the Antarctic Treaty Area,
  
• Conservation of Southern Giant Petrel,
  
• Site Guidelines for Visitors to Antarctica, and
  
• Long-term Scientific Monitoring and sustained environmental observations in Antarctica, etc.
  

A special lecture on “Climate Change” by Prof. Chris Rapley, Director of the British Antarctic Survey was organized on the occasion of ATCM XXX by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) which was very informative on global warming and climate change and spelt out the importance of Antarctic research in continuous monitoring of climate variations. Inclusion of Climate Change as a sub-item under the CEP agenda on Environmental Monitoring and Reporting is a welcome forward looking step.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : May 12, 2007