Abstract:
This compilation brings together the core international environmental conventions that form part of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), to which South Africa is a signatory. These agreements are legally binding under the Antarctic Treaties Act No. 60 of 1996 and guide environmental protection, marine conservation, and the management of Antarctic ecosystems. They apply to all South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) activities and are administered by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). The conventions include the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Madrid Protocol), adopted in 1991 and in force since 1998, along with its six annexes which support its implementation; the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS), signed in 1972 and in force since 1978, which informs annual reporting on seal interactions; and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), adopted in 1980 and in force since 1982, which governs the sustainable use of marine living resources and is directly relevant to SANAP’s marine operations.
