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Scott, Karen N. --- "Drilling at the Poles: Environmental Protection in the Antarctic and the Arctic" [2010] ELECD 618; in Fitzmaurice, Malgosia; Ong, M. David; Merkouris, Panos (eds), "Research Handbook on International Environmental Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2010)

Book Title: Research Handbook on International Environmental Law

Editor(s): Fitzmaurice, Malgosia; Ong, M. David; Merkouris, Panos

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781847201249

Section: Chapter 30

Section Title: Drilling at the Poles: Environmental Protection in the Antarctic and the Arctic

Author(s): Scott, Karen N.

Number of pages: 27

Extract:

30 Drilling at the Poles: environmental protection in the
Antarctic and the Arctic*
Karen N. Scott



Introduction
No two geographical regions have been so compared and contrasted as the Arctic and the
Antarctic.1 Superficially, the physical, biological, political and even legal similarities
between these two regions are indeed striking. The physical and biological environment of
both the Arctic and the Antarctic is dominated by the presence of ice, the lack of sunlight, the
cold temperatures and the short and simple food chain which underpins the existence of Polar
biodiversity (Fogg, 1998: chapters 1 and 2). As a consequence of these factors, both regions
are particularly susceptible to environmental degradation, over-fishing, oil pollution and, of
course, climate change. Both regions are of considerable significance for scientific research
and this has been recognised in practical terms by the decision to hold a third International
Polar Year (IPY) (2007­08),2 during which time over 200 research projects will be under-
taken within the Arctic and/or the Antarctic.3 Politically, both regions have been, and
continue to be, subject to serious sovereignty disputes, albeit disputes which are fundamen-
tally different in both nature and extent. However, these disputes are arguably at least
partially responsible for what might be described as the creation of groundbreaking and inno-
vative Polar legal regimes. The 1959 Antarctic Treaty provides the lynchpin of the Antarctic
Treaty system, which is arguably the most successful regional management regime to date.
Parties to the Antarctic Treaty and its ...