The Conservation of Biodiversity: Argentina and Chile at the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Abstract

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) accepts proposals presented by its international membership for the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPA). Since CCAMLR s inception in 1982, only two MPAs have come into effect so far to protect Antarctic marine resources. In 2017, Argentina and Chile submitted to CCAMLR a joint preliminary proposal for the designation of an MPA in Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Southern Scotia Arc region, an area of high traffic and of long-term political contestation. This paper provides an insight into the political scenario unfolding that resulted in the joint proposal.Based on qualitative work of document analysis, the conclusions of this research indicates that there are three main reasons to explain the aforementioned proposal presented jointly by two Antarctic countries. First, Argentina and Chile s condition as Antarctic claimant countries and original signatories of the Antarctic Treaty is critical to this analysis; both countries have long-term policies and a strong scientific and logistics presence in Antarctica. Second, the predominance of bilateral cooperation between both countries since the 1980s is reflected in Antarctic matters. Third, the establishment of a new MPA is a source of international prestige and leadership shown by Argentina and Chile within the Antarctic geopolitics on the region. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the understanding of the political discussions involved in the protection of the Antarctic environment.