India's Vision for ATCM 46: A Strategic Outlook for the Future of Antarctica

India is set to host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in 2024 at Kochi, Kerala. Experts view this meeting as crucial for the future of Antarctic Climate Change and tourism. Besides, the expiration of the Antarctic Treaty in 2048 is another area of concern for both policy-makers and the scientific community. As a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty, the ATCM 46 holds great significance for India from both environmental and strategic perspectives.

Introduction

The recently concluded XLV Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM45) held at Helsinki focused on the urgency of climate action. Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing Antarctica. The sea level rise caused by melting ice sheets is concerning the scientists and policy-makers as its effects are being felt world over. Besides, maritime safety in the Polar regions, growing tourism and geopolitical interest in Antarctica were also the important focus areas of the Helsinki ATCM. As India is set to host the next ATCM in 2024 at Kochi, Kerala, this article articulates India’s role and focus in the meeting with special emphasis on environmental protection in Antarctica.

  Climate change and eco-tourism in Antarctica

Source: Cool Antarctica

 

Goals and significance of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting

The ATCM is the forum through which the original twelve parties to the Antarctic Treaty along with other Consultative Parties that meet to exchange information and consult cumulatively on issues of common interest in Antarctica (Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty, 2023). At the ATCM, recommendations are formulated to be presented before the governments of each party so that required measures can be taken to uphold and realize the principles and goals of the Antarctic Treaty. The Antarctic Treaty (supplemented in 1991 with the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection) ensures the use of Antarctica for peaceful research only and freezes any territorial claims, military measures, bans nuclear explosions, disposal of radioactive waste material in Antarctica, prohibits mineral resource activities for non-scientific research. The Treaty, thus, aims at protecting Antarctica’s unique environment.

        Party nations to the Antarctic Treaty

          Source: British Antarctic Survey

The meetings of ATCM have been held annually since 1994. Prior to this, meetings were held once every two years (Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty, 2023). The ATCM is hosted by its 29 Consultative Parties according to the alphabetical order of their English names. In the meetings, representatives of the consultative parties, non-consultative parties, observers (the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes) and invited experts take part (Ibid). The resolutions and decisions adopted by the ATCM are meant to give effect to the principles of the Antarctic Treaty and the Environmental Protocol. It also aims at providing guidelines and regulations for the management of the Treaty. The decisions and measures which are taken by consensus are legally binding on the Consultative Parties as they are part of the decision-making process (Ibid). Other participants can only make contributions through discussions at the ATCM.

India’s relationship with ATCM

India is one of the 29 consultative parties to the Antarctic Treaty which it signed on August 19 of 1983, receiving its Consultative Party status on September 12 the same year. India is also a signatory to the Madrid Protocol of 1989. India has launched 42 annual scientific expeditions to Antarctica so far. The 43^rd Expedition will be launched in October-November of 2023. India has two active research stations in the Antarctic, i.e., Maitri (commissioned in 1988) at Schirmacher Hills, and Bharati (commissioned in 2012) at Larsemann Hills, and also a research station-Himadri in the Arctic (Ministry of Science and Technology, 2021). Therefore, India is not only a part of the exclusive group of countries that have multiple research stations in both the Polar Regions, but also an important stakeholder in the Antarctic.

India’s Antarctic research station Bharati

   Source: NCPOR

Former Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh while addressing the International Conference commemorating the signing of the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, stated that India is committed to restrain carbon emissions in the Antarctic atmosphere. “India has already adopted the green energy initiative by experimenting with the feasibility of wind energy production and installed moderate output of Wind Energy Generators (WEG) on an experimental basis. The choice of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for Bharati station to reduce carbon emissions in the Antarctic also promotes India's pledge to protect the environment”, Dr Singh had commented (Ministry of Science and Technology, 2021). The former Minister of MoES added that India reaffirms its commitment to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty by implementing all the decisions, resolutions and measures adopted at ATCM in the Indian Antarctic programme effectively, using solar panels and wind energy generators in both the Indian Antarctic research stations Maitri and Bharati, reducing India’s carbon footprints by limiting the use of vehicles and machinery, and controlling the introduction of non-native species into the region via any means or through vector transfer (Ibid). Thus, India has made sizable efforts to uphold its commitments as a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty.

India and ATCM46

Further actions are expected during the hosting of the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection in India (May 20-30, 2024, Kochi, Kerala). The key issues at the ATCM 46 agenda will continue to be ‘climate change action’ and ‘tourism regulation in the Antarctic’, states MsTiina Jortikka-Laitinen, Ambassador (Polar Issues), Head of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Mechanism Host Country Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. The Ambassador explained that since combating climate change was the main theme of the XLV ATCM at Helsinki, the need for the same to continue will be prominently featured in the next ATCM meeting in India (SaGAA Interview Series, 2023). The Helsinki Declaration on Climate Change and the Antarctic Resolution E was released on June by followed by the conclusion of XLV ATCM, reaffirming the steady commitment to combat the adverse impacts of climate change in Antarctica (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2023b). Shedding light on the key discussions that took place at the Helsinki ATCM, Ms. Jortikka-Laitinen added, “the meeting highlighted the importance of acting in accordance with the slogan ‘From Urgency to Action’ and called on the international community to intensify action against climate change and its impacts in Antarctica. Science tells us that serious and urgent action is needed to curb climate change and mitigate its global effects” (Ibid).

      A moment from the latest ATCM 45 at Helsinki

       Source: MFA, Finland Twitter handle

More importantly, Ms. Jortikka-Laitinen spoke about the important topics other than climate change action that will be discussed in the next ATCM in India. “ATCM45 expressed concerns about the rapidly growing tourism in Antarctica and decided to establish a dedicated process to develop a comprehensive framework for regulation of tourism in Antarctica. It also highlighted the importance of implementing the already approved ATCM Measures M4 (2004) and M15 (2009). Considering the importance that the tourism received in Helsinki, it is clear that substantial discussion on tourism will continue in India”, the Ambassador explained (Ibid). The Head of the ATCM Secretariat at Helsinki also informed that a decision has been made to establish a special working group for tourism and to allocate significant time in the schedule to deal with the theme. Therefore, apart from climate change action, a regulatory framework on responsible Antarctic tourism will be one of the highlights of next year’s ATCM in India.

Antarctic tourism is growing

Source: Cosmos

With regard to India’s role in safeguarding peace and maintaining international cooperation in Antarctica, MsJortikka-Laitinen stated, “The Antarctic Treaty has proven its strength as an agreement of peace and cooperation. Throughout the years, it has provided a solid mechanism for governing the Antarctic. It is essential to continue to maintain the integrity of the Antarctic Treaty System and ensure that Antarctica remains a peaceful continent where international cooperation thrives. Each Host country in turn has an important role to play in continuing to support the Treaty and its objectives” (SaGAA Interview Series, 2023). The Ambassador concluded, “I wish India all the best in this important task as the Host of the next ATCM in 2024” (Ibid).

 An Indian expedition to the Antarctica

Source: The Financial Express

Dr ThambanMeloth, Director of National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), commented on the importance of ATCM for India in a recent interview with SaGAA. “The ATCM is the most important meeting which permits the governance of Antarctica. The Antarctic Treaty is a living proof of how a treaty helps in governing”, Dr Meloth continued (SaGAA Interview Series, 2023). “India is holding it (ATCM) for the second time and this time it would be at Kochi in Kerala. The first time India hosted was in 2007 in New Delhi. It provides India with a perspective as a nation on how we approach Antarctica with peaceful means, because Antarctica is about peace. ATCM will allow how a thriving democratic nation (like India) looks at these measures (in Antarctica) for global peace”, the NCPOR Director concluded.

     A moment from XXX ATCM in New Delhi (2007)  

     Source: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

Particularly, India hosting ATCM has come at a time when discussions about a Polar Policy is underway as mentioned by Dr Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), at the release of the SaGAA 7 Report (Ravichandran, 2023). The MoES Secretary pointed out that Antarctica is of particular importance to India as a Review of the Antarctic Treaty is due in 2048 if any Consultative Party asks for it. Dr Rahul Mohan, Scientist F at NCPOR, speaking on the ATCM 46 at SaGAA 7 conference, stated that “the Antarctic Treaty is uniquely important and it took years to stabilize. India is organizing the ATCM for the second time, which comes with huge responsibility. In the 2007 when XXX ATCM was held in India, important decisions were taken regarding building India’s research base Bharati. There were also discussions on Antarctic ‘Responsible tourism’ which should be furthered in ATCM 46 as well. Climate change and its impact on Antarctica is another important issue for the ATCM, and since Asia represents the largest population, it has a stake in the Antarctic climate change as well” (Mohan, 2023).

Conclusion

Therefore, the ATCM46 to be held in India will be crucial for environmental and strategic security of the Antarctic, and by its extension, the world.

References

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. (2023a, 26 May). Helsinki Antarctic meeting to stress urgency of climate action. Retrieved from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland:https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/helsinki-antarctic-meeting-to-stress-urgency-of-climate-action.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. (2023b, June 9). Helsinki Declaration on Climate Change and the Antarctic. Retrieved from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland : https://um.fi/current-affairs/-/asset_publisher/gc654PySnjTX/content/helsinki-declaration-on-climate-change-and-the-antarctic.

Ministry of Science and Technology. (2021, October 4). Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, India is committed to curtail carbon emissions in the Antarctic atmosphere. Retrieved from Ministry of Science and Technology: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1760870.

Mohan, R. (2023, April 28). Forthcoming 2024 ATCM. SaGAA 7. New Delhi.

Ravichandran, R. (2023). SaGAA 7 Report Release Event. May 24, 2023. New Delhi. (Unpublished)

Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty. (2023). ATCM and Other meetings. Retrieved from Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty: https://www.ats.aq/e/atcm.html.

SaGAA Interview Series (2023). Interview with TiinaJortikka-Laitinen on India's Vision for the Upcoming ATCM: A Strategic Outlook for the Future of Antarctica. New Delhi. (Unpublished)

SaGAA Interview Series (2023). Interview with Dr ThambanMeloth on Science   and Geopolitics of Arctic and Antarctic at the SaGAA 7 conference. New Delhi. (Unpublished)