The 47th annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), the highest decision making-reviewing platform for the governance of Antarctica, took place from June 23 to July 3, 2025 in Milan, Italy. The 2025 ATCM elected new Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty. Mr Francisco Berguno of Chile took over from Mr Albert Lluberas of Uruguay. The venue for the 2026 ATCM is in Hiroshima, Japan and is scheduled on 11-21 of May 2026.

Some of the salient issues that came up for discussion during the 2025 ATCM were (a) spread of highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI); (b) impact of micro-plastics pollution on Antarctic ecosystems and need for international cooperation on exchanging best practices and finding innovative solutions; (c) need for a comprehensive framework for regulating tourism and other non-governmental activities in Antarctica; and (d) enhancing educational initiatives to promote the principles of the Antarctic Treaty.

The 58 Consultative and Non-Consultative Parties to the ATCM have committed to ensure that Antarctica remains peaceful and free any military activity in the area including nuclear testing. Furthermore, attempts be made to ensure that it is not turned into a waste disposal destination.

Promoting peace and international cooperation are the key approaches to manage the affairs of Antarctica, and have been endorsed by the Consultative Party. However, Antarctica remains mired in politico-strategic contestation. This is best demonstrated by the opposition faced by Belarus and Canada to join the ATCM. Both countries have attracted strong opposition by few State Parties.

Belarus has been seeking recognition as a Consultative Party to the ATCM since the last six years. Its application in 2019 did not found favour due to administrative constraints (COVID-19 pandemic and it required in-person appearance); 2020 due to plausible concerns over its domestic politics (2020 presidential elections; 2021 forced landing at Minsk of Ryanair Flight 4978 carrying opposition activist Roman Protasevich); in 2022 some Consultative Parties may have had concerns regarding involvement of Belarus in Russian Ukraine war; and in 2023 some Consultative Parties considered that substantial scientific research activity had not been demonstrated. The rejection in 2024 and 2025 was probably a combination of insufficient “science and diversity of its programme” as well as the “geopolitical circumstances”.

As far as Canada is concerned, in 1998 it “acceded to the Antarctic Treaty as a non-Consultative Party” and in 2021 it “bid for Consultative Party (decision-making) status”; but it has not been successful. Canada put on hold its request for Consultative Party status in 2023 fearing that Russia and/or China) “would likely reject it in retaliation for the decision on Belarus.” In 2024, it resubmitted application for consideration at the 46th ATCM in Kochi, India; yet again it failed to “secure requisite consensus” on technical grounds; China and Russia noted that Canada had conduced “few scientific and national operational activities” and therefore Canada’s bid be reconsidered at 47th ATCM.

The rejection of the application of Belarus and Canada to the ATCM is emblematic of hard geopolitics. This raises the question of the ability of Consultative Parties to put aside respective political concerns and “separate protection of the continent from their own disputes”; instead their focus should be on the merits of the application by new members who have invested in scientific capital in Antarctica.

Geopolitics is a powerful tool available to States that can significantly influence and even undermine international treaties. Geopolitical realities often create significant challenges to treaty implementation and compliance. Although these are not intractable problems, treaties that support international cooperation can still be effective, especially with political will and enforcement processes. However, geopolitics can many a times be powerful and can frustrate international treaties notwithstanding benign intensions of States. In that context, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), is no exception.

Dr. Vijay Sakhuja is associated with Kalinga International Foundation, New Delhi.