PILLARS OF THE ANTARCTIC TREATY SYSTEM

ANTARCTIC REGIME

YEAR ADOPTED

YEAR ENTRY INTO FORCE 

DEPOSITORY GOVERNMENT

ASSOCIATED INSTITUTIONS

AREA OF APPLICATION

Antarctic Treaty

1959

1961

United States

“Specialized agencies of the United Nations and other international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Antarctica;”

The Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty

South of 60^oS

Agreed

Measures¹

1964

1964

United States

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)

South of 60^oS

Seals

Convention²

1972

1978

United Kingdom

SCAR

South of 60^oS

+ Sea Ice

Living

Resources Convention³

1980

1984

Australia

CCAMLR Commission, Scientific Committee, Secretariat and Arbitral Tribunal

South of 60^oS

+ Antarctic Convergence

Mineral

Resources Convention⁴

1988

not ratified

New Zealand

CRAMRA Commission, Advisory Committee, Regulatory Committees, Secretariat and Arbitral Tribunal

South of 60^oS

Environmental Protocol⁵

1991

1998

United States

PROTOCOL Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP)  and Arbitral Tribunal along with: 

Annex I: Environmental Impact Assessment;

Annex II  Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora;

Annex III: Waste Disposal and Management;

Annex IV: Prevention of Marine Pollution

Annex V: Area Protection and Management

Annex VI: Liability

South of 60^oS

1  Agreed Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora (AGREED MEASURES)

2  Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS)

3  Convention on the Conservation  of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)

4  Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities (CRAMRA)

5  Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (PROTOCOL)

Note: Text of the above Antarctic Treaty instruments can be found by searching the Antarctic Treaty Searchable Database