The adoption of the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities: Background, development and some issues

Abstract

Twenty Consultative Parties and 13 Contracting Parties of the Antarctic Treaty adopted "the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities" on the 2nd of June, 1988 at the final session of the Fourth Special Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting on Antarctic Mineral Resources at Wellington, New Zealand. The problems relating to Antarctic mineral resources came out among Treaty Consultative Parties early in the 1970's. From 1972 to 1981,Consultative Parties discussed the exploration and exploitation of Antarctic minerals, and decided to elaborate the mineral regime through negotiation at the Special Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting which started in June 1982 at Wellington. After twelve meetings, including two in Tokyo, in six years, Consultative Parties agreed to adopt the Convention. The background, some parts of the negotiations, issues to be noted, and nongovernmental activities are outlined in this report.