The durability of the 'Antarctic Model' and Southern Ocean governance

It is now well over 50 years since the conclusion of the Antarctic Treaty , the foundation of the Antarctic Treaty System (‘ATS’). At the 1959 Washington Conference, 12 nations gathered to draft the agreement that formally recognised “that it is in the interests of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord”, and “[a]cknowledging the substantial contributions to scientific knowledge resulting from international cooperation in scientific investigation in Antarctica”. These twin goals, of preserving peace on the Antarctic continent and promoting polar science, remain as important as ever in the face of global climate change.