The Government are today publishing a UK Antarctic strategy. This sets out the UK’s aims and ambitions for the Antarctic for the next decade.
The strategy brings together the UK’s approach to the Antarctic under a single document for the first time. It outlines the full range of UK interests in Antarctica that shape our engagement in the region, and our priorities looking ahead.
At a time of growing global interest in Antarctica, our approach will see the UK continuing to play an active and leading role in the Antarctic treaty system, upholding our rights and responsibilities and reiterating the importance of international collaboration. We will also safeguard our sovereignty of the British Antarctic Territory, ensuring the effective administration of the territory.
Our long-term strategic objective remains for the Antarctic to be a place dedicated to peace and science, characterised by co-operation.
The UK will focus activity across four areas.
Governance and UK sovereign interests: Antarctic matters are characterised by international co-operation, which the UK will seek to enhance. We also want to celebrate our long-standing connection with Antarctica and why it matters to the UK. The UK will continue to chair the commission for the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources to 2026 and to work with parties on the sustainable management of Antarctic marine resources.
Science: we will continue to invest in our world-leading polar infrastructure, ensuring that the British Antarctic Survey and UK researchers have the platforms they need to carry out the science we all need to protect Antarctica and the UK from the impacts of climate change, including our continued programme of infrastructure work at Rothera research station. The focus of UK science is on climate change, with projects looking at the rate of sea ice loss and glacier retreat, and ongoing work to drill ice cores, which can give a better understanding of a changing climate and the subsequent impacts for the world.
Environmental protection: the UK will continue to advocate for enhanced environmental protection for Antarctica, including for British heritage in the region, working with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. We will continue to push for greater protection of Shackleton’s famous ship Endurance, to identify sites for designation as Antarctic specially protected areas, and to advocate for specially protected species status for the iconic emperor penguin.
Ensuring peaceful and lawful use: we will continue to work closely with Antarctic partners to ensure we uphold the principles of the Antarctic treaty system, including the environmental protocol’s ban on commercial mineral resource activity. We will also work with parties on continued negotiations to develop a framework for the management of Antarctic tourism, ensuring it is safe and environmentally responsible, and does not unduly impact the Antarctic environment.
Through this new strategy, the UK will draw on our years of Antarctic experience and expertise to ensure Antarctica remains a continent preserved for peace and science.
We are publishing this strategy on Antarctica Day, which commemorates the signing of the Antarctic treaty in 1959. 66 years after this vital international agreement was signed, the UK is committing further to Antarctica. On this anniversary, we wish all of those working in Antarctica well.
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