Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
26 June 2025 | 13:45 CAT
3 min read

As the climate crisis accelerates the ecological collapse of the Antarctic, global leaders have convened in Milan for the 47th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM). South Africa, one of the 29 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties, is among the nations at the table.

Speaking from Milan, Ashley Johnson, South Africa’s representative from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, outlined the country’s priorities at the meeting in an interview with Radio Islam International.

Johnson highlighted that the most important objective for South Africa has always been to ensure that the Antarctic remains a biodiversity-rich and protected space, used for peaceful purposes and scientific research. “For us, it is about conservation and protection, particularly of its fauna and flora, but also just of the ecosystem as a whole,” he said.

However, this year’s meeting has come under fire for limited media access and concerns over transparency. While the ATCM has historically allowed media attendance during the opening plenary, this year has been different. “This year, I know there has been quite a bit of restriction in terms of the organising of the meeting, and I do not think that is anyone’s fault. However, just yesterday, there was an entire agenda item around how to make the ATCM a lot more transparent, a lot more open, and accountable to people,” he explained.

South Africa, along with several other countries, has called for greater transparency within the ATCM. Johnson emphasised that future steps would involve proposing clear frameworks to the Secretariat and member states, noting that decisions are made by consensus.

On the ecological front, the state of animal populations in the Antarctic is a pressing concern. Reports of a 22 percent decline in emperor penguin numbers and significant seal population drops, especially around Sydney Island, have alarmed scientists and policymakers. “There are papers around each of them, and tracking to see exactly what is happening and what the causes are for these declines. We also have seen a very precarious time in this scene whereby we as people have induced a change which we are finding very difficult to control, and that together with natural changes, it just superimposes upon each other to make the scene change a lot bigger,” he said.

Johnson highlighted ongoing discussions around the establishment of marine protected areas and other forms of exclusive protection zones, supported by recent collaborative meetings held under the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) framework.

Another longstanding issue is the threat of mining and geoengineering in Antarctica. While the Madrid Protocol currently prohibits mining, concerns persist over future exploitation. “There is consensus at this moment in time that even though there are countries that are interested, the position we have put forward and a number of others think that this will not be allowed in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean specifically,” Johnson said.

He noted that geoengineering experiments, aimed at reducing atmospheric carbon levels, have also been rejected for implementation within the ATCM’s jurisdiction. “From this moment in time, any such proposal would be rejected by South Africa,” he affirmed.

Looking ahead to the 2026 ATCM in Japan, Johnson is hopeful that lessons from Milan will lead to improvements in how these global discussions are conducted. “The Japanese actually already raised the issue of transparency for their meeting, which is being hosted next year. They are talking about daily briefs to the media and a closing time slot with media to give the decisions on what has been rectified within the ATCM,” said Johnson.

As the stakes grow higher for the Antarctic, South Africa appears committed not only to environmental stewardship but also to ensuring that decision-making remains open and accountable.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Ashley Johnson, South Africa’s lead Antarctic Treaty negotiator & Director of Ocean Research for DFFE, here.