ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS Future proofing ASSEMBLY LONDON Antarctica – can we 2 DECEMBER 2019 succeed?
Birgit Njåstad Norwegian Polar Institute / CEP Chair The Antarctic environment is unique and contains values worth protecting
The environment is under pressure and there are challenges ahead my story line
The Antarctic Treaty has provided a unique and robust framework for protection
Answering the question – can we succeed in future proofing Antarctica?
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @NPI (Elvar Ørn Kjartasson)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @NPI (Johan Hustadnes) @NPI (Ann Kristin Balto)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @www.sci-news.com (Richard E. Lee Jr.)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 The Antarctic environment in the global context
❖ Climate shaping ❖ Sea level ❖ Food security ❖ Extremophiles ❖ «Clean laboratory» ❖ «Undisturbed» environment (true wilderness)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @NPI Birgit Njåstad) Pressures: Disturbance to wildlife and vegetation caused by human activities
@NPI (Olav Orheim)
@NPI Kenichi Masuoka) @NPI (Øystein Overrein)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Pressures: Non-native species establishments pushing out «the locals»
@environments.aq: Map of the Antarctic Peninsula region showing the distribution of known non-native species, all of which are invertebrates S. Chown et al. 2018. Continent-wide risk assessment for the establishment of nonindigenous due to earlier eradication of known plant introductions species in Antarctica
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Pressures: Pollution originating both from inside and outside of Antarctica
@NPI (Eystein Sæther)
@bas.ac.uk
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @environments.aq: Recorded findings of microplastics and macroplastics in surface waters, on beaches and in sediments south of the Polar Front. Pressures: Fishing
@NPI (Tor Ivan Karlsen)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @Industry Toothfish Committee @ccamlr.org Pressures: Changing climate = ecosystem impacts and changes
@IPPC: CHAPTER 3, SPECIAL REPORT ON THE OCEAN AND CRYOSPHERE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @NPI (Ann Kristin Balto)@NPI (Geir Tore Voktor)@NPI (Bertran Kiil) @NPI (Harvey Goodwin)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 New types of activities (in new areas) = new pressures?
Continued external environmental pressures Additional influencers in Cocktail pressures the future?
Global connections
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Mileposts in environmental protection under the Antarctic Treaty
Agreed Measures Protocol on for the Environmental Conservation of Protection to the Antarctic Fauna Antarctic Treaty and Flora
1964 1972 1980 1989 1991
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 ENVIRONMENT
OBJECTIVE The Parties commit themselves to the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic
environment and dependent and associated ecosystems and hereby designate SCIENCE Antarctica as a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES PEACE The protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems and the intrinsic value of Antarctica, including its wilderness and aesthetic values and its value as an area for the conduct of scientific research, in particular research essential to understanding the global environment, shall be fundamental considerations in the planning and conduct of all activities in the Antarctic Treaty area.
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP)
• Implementation of annexes
• Environmental protection measures
• Minimising / mitigating impacts
• Protecting special areas
• State of the Antarctic environment
• Need for scientific research
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Global scale environmental changes and pressures impedes future proofing of the Antarctic environment, but we can soften the blow significantly through active/creative use of existing mechanisms & tools and by filling knowledge gaps.
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Systematic area protection
Locations of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) Adapted from figures in Wauchope et al. 2019 Nature (@Report on the State of the Antarctic Protected Area system Communications (Attached in @Report on the State of the presented by CEP to ATCM XLII) Antarctic Protected Area system presented by CEP to ATCM XLII)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Protecting species at risk
@NPI Tor Ivan Karlsen) ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Guidelines for activities
❖ General Tourist Guideline ❖ Site Guidelines for Visitors ❖ Guidelines for Aircraft near concentrations of birds ❖ Environmental Guidelines for Operation of RPAS in Antarctica ❖ Etc. ❖ ?
@NPI (Birgit Njåstad)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 @NPI (Ann Kristin Balto)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 WHERE AND WHAT? HOW DOES IT WORK? HOW IS IT CHANGING AND WHY?
@Descamps et al. (DOI: 10.1111/ecog.01659)
@ I. Heifetz, Rutgers University
@NPI (Øystein Overrein)
@NPI (Birgit Njåstad)
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 ❖Continous focus on application and use of Protocol tools (and other tools in the ATS system) ❖Develop guidance for environmentally responsible conduct of activities in Antarctica ❖Provide tools and frameworks that encourages equal implementation of Protocol provisions ❖Enable further research and monitoring required to underpin robust and future oriented management ❖Continue efforts to limit human induced climate change
Global scale environmental changes and pressures impedes future proofing of the Antarctic environment, but we can soften the blow significantly through active/creative use of existing mechanisms and tools and by filling knowledge gaps.
ANTARCTIC PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLY 2019 Thank you for your attention!