Antarctic Treaty of 1959
The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 is a pivotal international agreement that established Antarctica as a zone dedicated to peace and scientific research. Following the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-1958, which saw significant international cooperation in scientific endeavors on the continent, twelve countries recognized the need to regulate their activities in Antarctica to prevent territorial disputes and promote collaboration. The treaty prohibits military operations and the testing of nuclear weapons, ensuring that the region is used solely for peaceful purposes.
Key provisions of the treaty include the freedom of scientific investigation, the exchange of information between nations, and the establishment of a framework for regular meetings among the parties to discuss peaceful uses and conservation efforts. The treaty also allows for the inclusion of additional nations, emphasizing its collaborative spirit. Since its inception, the Antarctic Treaty has played a crucial role in preserving the continent's environment while fostering international cooperation, effectively limiting the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War in this remote region.
Antarctic Treaty of 1959
Identification International treaty that demilitarized Antarctica and ensured international cooperation in its study
Date Signed on December 1, 1959
During the 1950’s, Cold War tensions and the quest for new resources made Antarctica a potential battleground for industrialized nations. The treaty forestalled international competition to claim and exploit Antarctica, preserving its pristine environment and promoting international cooperation.
Since its discovery at the beginning of the nineteenth century, Antarctica has been coveted by many world powers that dreamed of mining its huge reserves of coal and harvesting its abundant fish, krill, seal, and whale populations. Before the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-1958, about one dozen countries led expeditions into Antarctica and began to claim portions of the region. Some claims, like those of Great Britain, Argentina, and Chile , overlapped, setting the stage for international disputes.
When it was decided that the IGY’s exploration focus would be Antarctica, twelve countries installed forty-eight scientific bases along the continent’s coast, and four countries created bases in the Antarctic interior. The eighteen months of intense scientific cooperation during the IGY were instrumental in convincing the twelve nations with territorial claims that Antarctica had to be protected to ensure continued scientific progress. As a result, the United States organized a conference, held in Washington, D.C., in 1959, at which the governments of twelve nations—Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, Norway, New Zealand , the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, South Africa , the Soviet Union, and the United States—signed a treaty regulating their actions in Antarctica.
Demilitarization and Scientific Cooperation
The first article of the Antarctic Treaty prohibited the use of Antarctica for any military operations, the testing of weapons, or the establishment of military bases. However, it authorized “the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purpose.” For example, the United States’ Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) is located on the continent and managed by the Department of the Army. The second article established “freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation toward that end,” following the impetus of the IGY that promoted scientific inquiry in a climate of international cooperation. Because scientific cooperation was the ultimate goal in Antarctica, the third article stated that “information concerning plans for scientific programs shall be exchanged to permit maximum economy of and efficiency of operations.” This included “exchanging scientists between expeditions and stations” and making scientific observations readily and freely available to the international community.
Article 4 stated that the cooperation required by the treaty should not infringe on the territorial sovereignty of the twelve contracting members. Article 5 prohibited the use of Antarctica for the disposal of radioactive waste or nuclear explosion. Article 6 defined the geographic area in which the treaty was to apply.
Article 7 authorized each contracting party to send observers to any base and to carry out aerial observations “at any time over any or all areas of Antarctica.” Article 8 asserted that observers, scientific personnel, and staff should operate under the jurisdiction of their own nations.
Administration and Growth
Representatives of all parties, noted article 9, would meet in Canberra, Australia, at regular intervals to discuss “the use of Antarctica for peaceful purposes only,” facilitation of scientific research, cooperation, inspection, and “preservation and conservation of living resources in Antarctica.” Article 10 required that no contracting party would “engage in activity contrary to the principle of the treaty.” Article 11 required contracting members to resolve disputes over Antarctica through peaceful means, such as negotiation, mediation, conciliation, or judicial settlement by the International Court of Justice. Article 12 provided a mechanism by which the treaty could be modified or amended. Article 13 allowed other states, besides the twelve signatory nations, to ratify or access the Antarctic Treaty “if the contracting parties agree.” The last article required the treaty to be written in English, French, Russian, and Spanish and that originals of the treaty would be deposited in the United States, with certified copies circulated among the signatory members.
Impact
The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 limited the southward expansion of the Cold War and reaffirmed that international cooperation was both useful and attainable. At the same time, it ensured the preservation of Antarctica’s pristine environment, ending any significant attempt to exploit its resources.
Bibliography
Trewby, Mary. Antarctica: An Encyclopedia from Abbot Ice Shelf to Zooplankton. Toronto: Firefly Books, 2002. A general encyclopedia of Antarctica, which includes information related to the treaty.
Watts, Arthur. International Law and the Antarctic Treaty System. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Studies the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and the changes made to the treaty in later years.