The Role of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs

Abstract

The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 built on the scientific successes of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and proposed that the Antarctic Treaty area would be used for peaceful purposes only and for scientific cooperation (Antarctic Treaty, Articles I, paragraph 1, and II). The Antarctic Treaty did not, however, specify how such objectives would be met, except in its Article IX, paragraph 2, where it provides an example of activity that could represent substantial scientific research activity in Antarctica. The example, as we all know, has come to be interpreted as meaning that substantial scientific research activity of a party to the Antarctic Treaty area can be demonstrated by the country establishing a scientific research station there. This is exactly what has happened since 1959. As participating countries in the Antarctic Treaty System grew from the initial 12 original signatories to the Antarctic Treaty to the presentday membership of 48 parties, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative countries have, individually, established approximately 65 research stations in the Antarctic Treaty area. Over the course of the 50 years since IGY, many things have changed in regard to the Antarctic, but a number of things have also remained the same. For example, it was clear from the experiences of countries involved in the IGY that organizing scientific expeditions to Antarctica was an expensive and complex activity. This is still the case today. What has changed is that then, in order to facilitate the science of the IGY, many countries relied at least in part on assistance from their military, who alone had aircraft and logistics experience and capability to transport people and their equipment to and from the Antarctic. They also often possessed the necessary engineering skills that were essential in building Antarctic stations and required infrastructure. This aspect of Antarctic activity has changed. Although some national Antarctic programs continue to operate in partnership with their military organizations, many do not, opting to develop the necessary logistics and engineering capabilities within their National Antarctic Programs. In 1958, the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) was established to “further international organization of scientific activity in Antarctica.”1 The Role of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs