Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting

About Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting:

• It is pivotal in the international community's ongoing efforts to safeguard Antarctica's fragile ecosystem and promote scientific research in the region.
• It is convened annually under the Antarctic Treaty System, these meetings serve as forums for Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties and other stakeholders to address Antarctica's pressing environmental, scientific, and governance issues.
• What is the CEP?
• It was established under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) in 1991.
• The CEP advises the ATCM on environmental protection and conservation in Antarctica.

Key facts about the Antarctic Treaty:

• It was signed in 1959 and entered into force in 1961.
• It established Antarctica as a region dedicated to peaceful purposes, scientific cooperation, and environmental protection. Over the years, the Treaty has garnered widespread support, with 56 countries currently party to it.
• Provisions of the treaty:
  • Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only.
  • Freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation toward that end… shall continue.
  • Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available.
• India has been a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty since 1983.
• It participates in the decision-making process along with other 28 Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty.
  • India’s first Antarctic research station, Dakshin Gangotri, was established in 1983.
  • At present, India operates two year-round research stations: Maitri (1989) and Bharati (2012).
  • The permanent research stations facilitate Indian Scientific Expeditions to Antarctica, which have been ongoing annually since 1981.
  • In 2022, India enacted the Antarctic Act, reaffirming its commitment to the Antarctic Treaty.   
• The Antarctic Treaty Secretariat (ATS) serves as the administrative hub for the Antarctic Treaty System.
• ATS was established in 2004 and coordinates the ATCM and CEP meetings, reposits and disseminates information, and facilitates diplomatic communication, exchanges, and negotiations related to Antarctic governance and management.