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SCAR Bulletin No 136, January 2000

Resolution 6 (1999)

Adherence to the Environmental Protocol by Non-Consultative Parties

The Representatives,

Considering the entry into force of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty;

Noting that certain non-Consultative Parties are not yet parties to the protocol and are therefore not bound by its provisions;

Aware that vessels carrying significant numbers of tourists are operating, or planning to operate, in Antarctic waters, and that some of these vessels are chartered by tourist companies organizing their expeditions in the territory of non-Consultative Parties;

Conscious of the potential for cumulative impacts as a result of large numbers of tourists visiting sites in Antarctica;

Concerned that the presence of such vessels in Antarctic waters may result, in the event of a major maritime accident, in A serious risk to the safety of the crew and passengers involved, and significant adverse impact on the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems, as well as major implications for search and rescue resources in Antarctica;

Urge: Those non-Consultative Parties which have not yet become Parties to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, particularly those with Antarctic tourist activities organised in their territory, to adhere to the Protocol as soon as possible.