STEWARDSHIP Pressures on the Wilderness Values of the Antarctic Continent

Antarctica is governed internationally by the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). Under the ATS, wilderness values are recognized by the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the “Protocol”), which designates Antarctica as “a natural reserve, devoted to peace and sci-ence, ” and stipulates that: The protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems and the intrinsic value of Antarctica, including its wilderness and aesthetic values and its value as an area for the conduct of scientific research, in particular research essential to understanding the global environment, shall be fundamental considerations in the planning and conduct of all activities in the Antarctic Treaty area. (Article 3[1]) This article focuses on the obvious direct pressures of huma