Polar Lessons for an Arctic Regime

Abstract

Recent developments in the Arctic demonstrate that the region is experiencing greater international cooperation and moving towards the implementation of a more comprehensive multilateral legal regime. In the Antarctic, the state parties to the Antarctic Treaty have also recently negotiated a Protocol which seeks to implement more effective means of environmental protection and prohibit mining activities. While both regions are presently dominated by environmental protection concerns, there are other common issue areas that the polar regions share. This article argues that, by reviewing the developments that have occurred in the past 30 years in Antarctica, `polar lessons' can be learned from that experience which may prove useful for the Arctic. To that end, the Antarctic Treaty system is reviewed and a critical analysis is undertaken of the successes and weaknesses of the Antarctic regime with conclusions drawn as to how these experiences may be helpful in the Arctic context.