A team from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are attending this year's Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), a diplomatic forum to discuss the governance and environmental protection of Antarctica. Every June around 100 people meet from around the world to discuss and agree on the governance of Antarctica.
Antarctica is the largest and most pristine wilderness on Earth, and an unrivalled natural laboratory for scientific research. The continent has been protected since the 1950s by a unique international agreement - the Antarctic Treaty. Because of the special nature of the Treaty, no one nation governs Antarctica, the Treaty nations work together to discuss the affairs of the continent and seek to work in friendly cooperation. The Treaty ensures that science is the main activity and the highest priority for every country operating in Antarctica. Each year member nations gather at the ATCM to discuss relevant issues and concerns, ranging from environmental protection to scientific collaboration and from tourism to the safety of operations.
BAS, as the UK's national Antarctic operator, collaborates with the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) to support the UK's participation in the Treaty System. The UK is also one of the Treaty nations known as Consultative Parties, because of their substantial scientific research activity in Antarctica and these nations have voting rights at each ATCM. These nations maintain over 40 permanent year-round scientific research stations on the continent and surrounding islands, with more operating in the Antarctic summer.
The ATCM is a vital forum for international cooperation on Antarctic issues, and BAS actively participates in collaborative projects with other nations to advance scientific knowledge and address common challenges. As such, BAS representatives have an essential seat at the table – to provide scientific and policy expertise, and to ensure the UK's continued leadership in Antarctic affairs.
