Regulating Tourism in Antarctica

Abstract Tourism to Antarctica is steadily growing and diversifying, with concerns as to its impacts on the Antarctic environment and the priority afforded to science within the Antarctic Treaty System. States with decision-making powers for the region agreed in 2023 to start a ‘[d]edicated process for the development of a comprehensive and consistent framework for Antarctic tourism and other non-governmental activities’. Preliminary negotiation work has been undertaken since then and is continuing along six identified ‘building blocks’. Whether this negotiation process will be more successful than previous attempts remains to be seen, particularly in light of the required consensus for the adoption of any instrument. Of note so far is the mention, by certain States, of a need to reverse the default situation of use and have tourism prohibited except and unless it is explicitly allowed.