Protection of Antarctic soil environments: A review of the current issues and future challenges for the Environmental Protocol

• Published in: Environmental science & policy Vol. 76; pp. 153 - 164
• Main Author: O’Neill, T.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2017
• Subjects: Antarctica; Environmental management; Environmental protocol; Human impacts; Soil environment; Soil environment; Human impacts; Antarctica; Environmental protocol; Environmental management
• ISSN: 1462-9011; 1873-6416
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2017.06.017

•Advances in protection of the soil environment since the Environmental Protocol are reviewed.•Shortcomings exist around operational realities, EIA, cumulative impacts, non-native species, and protected areas.•Future management requires prioritization of long-term monitoring obligations.•Future research should target policy-relevant environmental management challenges. 2016 marked the 25th anniversary of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Terrestrial ice-free areas constitute approximately 0.18% of Antarctica, but represent the most biologically active, historically rich, and environmentally sensitive sites. Antarctic soils are easily disturbed and environmental legacies of human activities are scattered across the continent; many are remnants of the 1950s-1980s when environmental protection was less comprehensive than today. Adoption of the Environmental Protocol in 1991 represented an important and proactive shift in Antarctic governance, securing environmental protection as a fundamental tenet of the Treaty System. Twenty five years on standards of environmental management have greatly improved, yet environmental pressures are compounding. Shortcomings in the implementation of the Environmental Protocol exist due to disparities in cultural values, operational realities, and inconsistent environmental impact assessments among governments and National Antarctic Programs. Non-native species management remains underdeveloped; and there is inadequate representation of all biogeographic regions within the Protected Area system; therefore jeopardizing conservation of Antarctic biodiversity and the integrity of the soil environment. Fundamental improvements are required to address the current shortcomings and ensure effective environmental protection for the next 25 years, including: (1) increased multinational and multidisciplinary collaboration to answer targeted research questions addressing contemporary management challenges, (2) effective communication of science to policy makers and environmental managers to inform decision- making, and (3) making the mandate of long-term monitoring of the terrestrial environment a high priority for all governments signatory to the Antarctic Treaty.