Antarctic Treaty

In contrast to the Arctic, with eight nations holding territory and several million Indigenous and other permanent communities, Antarctica has no permanent inhabitants or territorial claims. Instead, the Antarctic Treaty system governs research and other activities, such as tourism and fishing, among its 48 Parties.

ICCI participates in the annual Antarctic Treaty meetings as part of the Antarctic and Southern Oceans Coalition, the official civil society “Observer” delegation to the ATCM (and its subsidiary body, the Committee on Environmental Protection, or CEP). ICCI’s primary focus at these meetings is bringing the latest climate science forward to national delegations, especially regarding ice sheet stability and changes in the Southern Ocean, such as acidification, warming and freshening.