Madrid Protocol signatories include 25 years of protection of Antarctica – Terra Peru

The signatory countries of the Madrid Protocol highlighted today, 25 years after the historic commitment over Antarctica, the full force of the ban on activities related to mining and the need for responsible tourism and controlled in frozen continent.

“Time has shown that it was a right decision at the right time (…), to celebrate today the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Protocol, are renewing our commitment to the path that began exactly a quarter century, “said Chilean Foreign Minister Edgardo Riveros acting.

Riveros intervened Monday in Santiago in one of the sessions of the XXXIX Consultative Meeting of the Antarctic Treaty (ATCM), where a balance of protocol operation was performed and also the challenges addressed associated with the care of the Antarctic environment.

In Chile, there are some aspects that must be addressed in this forum, such as the prohibition of activities related to mineral extraction, under Article 7 of the Protocol and that is activities indefinite character.

“It is important that this meeting arises a clear message reiterating the determination of the parties to continue to support this moratorium, because the information available indicates that you can not perform extraction activities minerals without causing damage to the Antarctic environment, “he said Riveros.

Another element that hosting this meeting was emphasized the Antarctic tourism, which has grown steadily in recent years.

“By 2017 it is expected that about 40,000 people visiting the white continent, concentrating mainly in the sector of the Antarctic Peninsula. If the current trend, it will be necessary to ask whether we can continue to rely self-regulation of this economic activity, “he said.

Chile is particularly interested in that tourism is conducted in a controlled and responsible, because, in addition, the proximity of its coasts with the Antarctic territory makes the austral country must step platform natural for the development of these activities.

The XXXIX Consultative Meeting of the Antarctic Treaty (ATCM) meeting in the Chilean capital to more than 50 countries that signed the Antarctic Treaty 25 years after the signing of the Madrid Agreement, a document which preserved the white continent, to discuss the development of science, tourism and the environment in that area of ​​the planet.