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CYIL 7 ȍ2016Ȏ
XXXIX. ANTARCTIC TREATY CONSULTATIVE MEETING IN SANTIAGO
XXXIX. Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Santiago
Every year Contracting Parties to the Antarctic Treaty and its Protocol
1
meet
in order to discuss the most pressing issues concerning Antarctica, be it a scientific
cooperation, logistical support, tourism and non-governmental activities or others.
The place of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM, also referred to as
“the Meeting”) changes every year according to the alphabetical order of a Contracting
Party with consultative status. Currently there are, together with the Czech Republic,
29 Consultative Parties. Consultative status entitles such States
inter alia
to present
working documents at the Meeting, to discuss a request for consultative status of
Contracting Parties and to take decisions based on consensus on these and other
matters.
This year the host country, Chile, organized the XXXIX. ATCM in the Hotel
Sheraton in its capital, Santiago. The Meeting was very fruitful and adopted 9 measures
(8 of them regarding Antarctic Specially Protected Areas and 1 concerning historical sites
and monuments).
2
Over 340 representatives from governments, non-governmental
organisations, experts, civil society and international observers participated in the
Meeting.
The Meeting was opened by the Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Heraldo
Muñoz Valenzuela and the Minister for National Defence Hon. José Antonio Goméz
Urutia and the Undersecretaries for both Departments. Mr. Muñoz highlighted in
his speech this year’s 55
th
anniversary of the entry into force of the Antarctic Treaty.
He underlined the importance of conservation of the Antarctic environment and in
this regard expressed a belief that a common work towards a representative system
of marine protected area is needed. Having marked the Ernest Shaklecton’s rescue
expedition in 1916 led by Chilean pilot Luis Pardo, he noted that even nowadays
Antarctica offers many challenges that we should best face jointly and therefore
enhance cooperation among States.
1
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (also known as Environmental Protocol
or Madrid Protocol).
2
In addition, 6 decisions of organizational character, most of which are addressed in this contribution,
were adopted. Among the adopted resolutions belongs a resolution to which Revised Guidelines for
Environmental Impact Assessment in Antarctica were attached. The next Resolution sets forth the
Code of Conduct for Activity within Terrestrial Geothermal Environments in Antarctica. By another
Resolution the Committee for Environmental Protection Non-Native Species Guideline was adopted.
The Meeting also adopted a Resolution which deals with a Guide to presentation of Working Papers
containing proposals for Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, Antarctic Specially Managed Areas and
Historic Sites and Monuments.