HOBART - The Antarctic and the surrounding Southern Ocean are facing unprecedented threats due to alarming temperature anomalies and increasing marine heatwaves. A new report highlights the gradual decline of sea ice, particularly affecting East Antarctica, which was previously thought to be less vulnerable to climate change.
The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) has issued an urgent call for action at the ongoing 43rd meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in Hobart, Australia. The coalition emphasizes the need for the commission to fulfill its role as guardian of Antarctic marine life.
Governments are negotiating until October 25 on concrete solutions to protect the Southern Ocean, focusing on the establishment of several large Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that have been advocated for years, particularly by Germany.
These MPAs aim to safeguard critical habitats for penguins, seals, and whales, all of which are increasingly threatened. However, progress has been hindered by opposition from China and Russia, as unanimous consent from all 27 member states is required for any breakthroughs.
Despite an agreement in 2009 to create a system of MPAs in the Southern Ocean, only two of the six planned areas have been established to date, with negotiations stalling since 2016. ASOC Executive Director Claire Christian has criticized the CCAMLR for lagging behind urgent changes in the Southern Ocean and international marine protection efforts, noting that only about eight percent of the world's oceans are currently protected.
The establishment of the proposed MPAs would represent the largest ocean protection measure in history. Christian asserts that what is needed now is decisive action and political will to achieve the goal of protecting 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030.