Antarctica is the battle which we thought we had won.

In the late 80's, the 26 ** nations which jointly run Antarctica were set to agree on a mining regime. A convention had been negotiated—and even signed—which would have virtually legitimised mineral exploitation across the entire continent. But environmental groups worldwide mounted a global campaign against the convention and such was the success of their efforts that eventually the convention was abandoned.

As a result of on-going pressure from the international environmental movement, in the place of the proposed mining convention *** a Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on Environmental Protection was successfully negotiated. Known as the Madrid Protocol, the central provision of this agreement maintains a moratorium on all commercial mineral exploitation for at least 50 years. The agreement also institutes strengthened and legally binding measures governing waste disposal, marine pollution and the conservation of flora and fauna. Also under the terms of the Protocol, Environmental Impact Assessments must be prepared for all visits to Antarctica, regardless of purpose.

Environmentalists were well pleased; the continent would be saved for future generations, and by virtue of the Protocol, Antarctica's vital importance to the planet had been acknowledged.

Antarctica has 70% of the world's fresh water supplies and is the vital engine which drives much of our global climate. As a pure outdoor laboratory, the continent has immense scientific importance. As the best place on earth to measure global trends in pollution, it was in Antarctica that the ozone hole was first discovered.

A tight legally-binding international agreement is particularly important in the case of Antarctica, because there is no indigenous population there to blow the whistle on degradation to the environment. A continent of extremes, Antarctica is the coldest, driest, windiest and remote spot on the globe. In many ways it is also the most fragile place on earth. The terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to environmental damage. In such incredibly harsh climatic conditions, growth is very slow and recovery from disturbances can take years. A footprint on a moss bed may remain unchanged for a decade.

So as a result of what was probably the environmental movement's most successful campaign, the Madrid Protocol was signed by representatives of all 26 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties at a grandiose ceremony in Madrid in October of 1991.

However, for the Protocol to be legally binding internationally, all twenty six nations have to ratify the Protocol through their respective national procedures. And that has not yet happened. Under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty, decision-making is made entirely by consensus. At the time of signature, member States entered a voluntary agreement to abide by the terms of the Protocol until the wider ratification process could be completed. It is now almost five years since the Protocol was signed and that voluntary agreement remains the only surety of environmental protection in Antarctica.

Two nations have still not ratified and the voluntary agreement to proceed as though the Protocol had been ratified is already under strain. Innovations to implement specific aspects of the Protocol are already being delayed by national delegations to Antarctic meetings on the grounds that it would be unwise to proceed until the Protocol is in force.

We know from recent expeditions to Antarctica, notably by Greenpeace, which have inspected scientific and quasi-scientific bases, that pollution and destruction which the Protocol was instituted to prevent continues today. Large amounts of raw sewage are discharged into otherwise pristine coastal waters, a variety of rubbish and fossil fuels are openly burned and whilst some stations continue to spread inexorably over the landscape, other stations have been abandoned to their fate.

In addition, burgeoning tourism, especially the increase in private adventure tourism, also adds to environmental risk. At the 1994 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), Guidelines on Antarctic Tourism were agreed to, but these voluntary guidelines assume a Protocol in force.

* List of Antarctic Meeting Consultative Meetings.
** The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties.
*** CRAMRA: Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resources Activities