Developing resilience to climate change impacts in Antarctica: An evaluation of Antarctic Treaty System protected area policy

• Antarctic environments and biodiversity are vulnerable to climate change. protected areas can help promote resilience change impacts. Climate is little considered in ATS area guidelines agreements. Existing management plans consider International efforts enhance protection should be supported. Antarctica increasingly impacts, with the continent predicted warm by ∼4 °C 2100 under a ‘business as usual’ greenhouse gas emission scenario. Simultaneously, human activity, primarily form of scientific research fishing tourism industries, putting increasing pressure on Southern Ocean ecosystems. We evaluate effectiveness system promoting Under framework Treaty System (ATS), terrestrial marine designated protect locations scientific, environmental, historic intrinsic value facilitate operational coordination minimise environmental impact. However, not mentioned explicitly Protocol Environmental Protection for designation region’s existing areas. impacts only 17% Specially Protected Area (ASPA) and, at time when threats increasing, last decade has seen an 84% decline ASPA rate compared levels 1980s. Nevertheless, momentum building within Scientific Committee Research (SCAR) ATS’s (CEP) deliver evidence-based, integrated response that includes use The community well-placed support decision-makers conservation tools through provision forecasts sub-regional scales, data anticipated change, species ecosystems responses. Ultimately, reducing global will provide greatest from Antarctica.