Public Participation in Antarctica: The Role of Nongovernmental and Intergovernmental Organizations

Abstract

rticle III of the Antarctic Treaty provides, inter alia, that “to the greatest extent feasible and practicable” information regarding plans for scientific programs and scientific observations and results from Antarctica are to be exchanged and made freely available. In implementation of this article, every encouragement is to be given to establishing cooperative working relations with United Nations specialized agencies and other international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Antarctica.1 Thus, from the beginning, and anchored in the treaty itself, was the concept that there was a role for international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Antarctica, both nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations. Nongovernmental organizations are generally created by private persons or groups with no participation or representation by governments. They may raise funds privately and may also receive funds from governments, often for specific projects. Intergovernmental organizations generally include as members sovereign states or other intergovernmental organizations. National academies of science are often chartered, and largely funded, by governments but operate as and are considered nongovernmental. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is an interdisciplinary committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU), which, in turn, is a nongovernmental body made up of national scientific members (often national academies of science) and international scientific unions. At the First Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in Canberra in 1961, the parties adopted two measures that confirmed this role. Recommendation IIV recognized that SCAR’s recommendations concerning scientific programs and cooperation were “a most valuable contribution” to international scientific cooperation in Antarctica” and that SCAR should be encouraged to continue its advisory work. Recommendation IV recommended that governments encourage the work of international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Antarctica and was not limited in its reference only to intergovernmental bodies. Nevertheless, the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) could not be considered open to outside bodies during its first years, although SCAR’s advice and influence continued to play a prominent role.2 The first opening of Antarctic Treaty Public Participation in Antarctica: The Role of Nongovernmental and Intergovernmental Organizations