An Ecological Reading of Sovereignty Claims in Antarctica

Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty has “frozen” the controversies over sovereignty in Antarctica. However, the seven States claiming sovereignty over the continent still have an important role in the Antarctic Treaty System. One of the areas where they show leadership is in environmental protection, which is a pivotal principle of Antarctica’s regime since the adoption of the Environmental Protocol in 1991. Their active role cannot be explained under a Westphalian interpretation of sovereignty, where states have absolute power over the exploitation of their natural resources. Notwithstanding, under a human-based interpretation of sovereignty, the conduct of the Claimant States may have a clearer explanation. This article will look into the practices of the Claimant States over the Antarctic to understand if and how their sovereignty claims may be linked to environmental protection.