Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century ─ Legal and Policy Perspectives

The Antarctic Treaty (1959) was adopted for the purpose of bringing peace and stability to Antarctica and to facilitate cooperation in scientific research conducted on and around the continent. It has now been over fifty years since the signing of the treaty, nevertheless security continues to drive and shape the laws and policy regime which governs the region. Antarctic Security in the Twenty-First Century: Legal and Policy Perspectives assess Antarctic security from multiple legal and policy perspectives. This book reviews the existing security construct in Antarctica, critically assesses its status in the early part of the Twenty-First century and considers how Antarctic security may be viewed in both the immediate and distant future. The book assesses emerging new security threats, including the impact of climate change and the issues arising from increased human traffic to Antarctica by scientists, tourists, and mariners. The authors call into question whether the existing Antarctic security construct framed around the Antarctic Treaty remains viable, or whether new Antarctic paradigms are necessary for the future governance of the region. The contributions to this volume engage with a security discourse which has expanded beyond the traditional military domain to include notions of security from the perspective of economics, the environment and bio-security. This book provides a contemporary and innovative approach to Antarctic issues which will be of interest to scholars of international law, international relations, security studies and political science as well as policy makers, lawyers and government officials with an interest in the region.

Dr Alan D. Hemmings is a Canberra-based specialist on Antarctic governance and Adjunct Associate Professor at Gateway Antarctica at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. The author of a hundred plus articles on Antarctic affairs, he is also co-editor of Looking South: Australia’s Antarctic Agenda.

Donald R Rothwell is Professor of International Law at the ANU College of Law, Australian National University. His research on intersecting areas of international law has a focus on law of the sea, law of the polar regions, and implementation of international law within Australia.

Karen N. Scott is an Associate Professor in law at the University of Canterbury and researches and teaches in the areas of public international law, law of the sea and Antarctic law and policy. She is the Editor of the New Zealand Yearbook of International Law.