India Leads Discussions on Regulating Antarctic Tourism at 46th ATCM
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) |
| Dates | May 20 to May 30, 2024 |
| Location | Kochi, Kerala, India |
| Organizers | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, and Antarctic Treaty Secretariat |
| Participants | Over 350 participants from nearly 40 nations |
| Key Focus | Regulating tourism in Antarctica |
| India's Role | India is a consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty since 1983 and will facilitate discussions on tourism regulation |
| Key Figures | Dr. M Ravichandran (Secretary, MoES), Dr. Vijay Kumar (Adviser, MoES), Ambassador Pankaj Saran (Chairperson) |
| India's Contributions | Establishment of research stations, scientific programs, environmental regulations, and collaboration with other Treaty members |
| Tourism Regulation | Dedicated working group formulated at the 46th ATCM; Indian Antarctic Act enacted in 2022 |
| Historical Involvement | Hosted 10th SCAR conference in 2022, 11 Indian expeditions to the Southern Ocean, hosted 30th ATCM in 2007 |
| International Collaborations | Collaboration with Norway and the UK |
| Future Directions | Discussions on induction of Canada and Belarus as consultative parties |
| Key Sessions | Talk by Dr. Shailesh Nayak on 'Antarctica and Climate Change'; graced by Pavan Kapoor (Secretary, MEA) |