International community again fails to agree on Marine Protected Area

The recent meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) ended on 2nd November 2018 with no agreement on the creation of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) in East Antarctica.

This is the seventh year in a row that the proposal, backed by Germany and the EU among others, has failed to progress despite widespread international support. The aim is to create a 1.8 million square kilometre Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary, to be known as the Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area. But a few of the 25 countries within CCAMLR have blocked the discussion.

Greenpeace, the Pew Charitable Trusts and other conservation groups such as the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition expressed their disappointment and frustration.

We, the Antarctic Stories team, fully share this frustration, at a time when it is becoming a matter of survival for humanity to protect what is left of this unique environment. Let’s hope that the battle will be won in the near future. We invite you to spread the message and act wherever you can.