Overview
- Delegates at the 48th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting failed to reach consensus on a proposal to list emperor penguins as a specially protected species after China opposed the move and Russia aligned with that position, delegates said when the meeting ended on Thursday.
- The push followed an April IUCN decision that declared emperor penguins endangered because climate-driven loss and early breakup of sea ice have caused sharp breeding failures and population declines.
- The meeting agreed to keep emperor penguin protection on the agenda and continue talks about stronger measures, but it did not produce legally binding protections this year.
- Delegates also addressed rising Antarctic tourism, agreed to strengthen use of existing environmental assessment systems and information sharing, and faced pressure from conservation groups that say voluntary guidelines are inadequate.
- Institutional limits showed up elsewhere as members failed to approve Canada, Belarus and Turkey as consultative parties and geopolitical tensions surfaced when Ukraine accused Russia of detaining a scientist, a claim Russia disputed.