The Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty at 20

Role, challenges, and prospects in a changing governance landscape

Bibliographic Data

ID9224950
AuthorsBruno Arpi (0000-0003-4714-7918, The University of Adelaide, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume62
Publication date2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolar Record (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0032-2474 • E-ISSN: 1475-3057
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0032247426100217
OpenAlexW7128548371
LanguageEN
References cited22

September 2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the commencement of operations of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat. Despite the importance of this institutional milestone, it went largely unnoticed and sparked little critical reflection in Antarctic governance circles. This article seeks to fill that gap by assessing the Secretariat’s role, performance, and evolution within the Antarctic Treaty System as a whole. The article explores the Secretariat’s contributions to continuity, coordination, transparency, and institutional memory. It also examines the constraints the Secretariat faces due to its lack of international legal capacity, limited mandate and budget, and the political dynamics among the Consultative Parties. Finally, the article offers reflections on the Secretariat’s future role in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape, arguing that strengthening its functions may be essential to ensuring the continued order and stability of the Antarctic region

Antarctic treaty · Corporate governance · Geopolitics · Mandate · Order (exchange) · Politics · Treaty · Arctic and Russian Policy Studies · Coastal and Marine Management · Polar Research and Ecology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access