Environmental organisations have expressed disappointment at the results of the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), which ended in Berlin on Thursday.
The ATCM is the governing body of the Antarctic Treaty, the international framework responsible for regulating and protecting Antarctica and its unique environment.
The multi-day meeting was attended by some 400 delegates from over 50 countries.
Environmental groups expressed deep concern and disappointment that no agreement had been reached on urgently needed measures to address the growing threat to the Antarctic habitat.
They also expressed worry that a British proposal to designate the emperor penguin as a specially protected species was not adopted.
Although many governments supported the initiative to protect the emperor penguin, which could face extinction by 2100, China argued that further scientific research was needed before action could be taken.
“The states that are parties to the Antarctic Treaty and Protocol have an obligation to protect Antarctic wildlife,’’ stressed Claire Christian, Executive Director of ASOC, a federation of environmental organisations from around the world.
“The fact that the states could not agree on measures to protect the Antarctic and its wildlife is in stark contrast to the reality of the climate crisis,’’ said Sascha Müller-Kraenner.
Müller-Kraenner is the director of Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe) after the meeting.
The Antarctic Treaty has grown from having just 12 signatories when it was created in 1959 to having over 50 today.
The annual meeting was intended to agree on measures to best protect the unique environment, and decisions have historically been made according to the principle of unanimity.
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