Antarctica, one of the world's last great wildernesses, presents special challenges for international law. Fears that Antarctica would become a front in the Cold War catalysed agreement on the 1959 Antarctic Treaty which neither legitimised nor challenged the existing sovereign claims to the continent. The unique Antarctic Treaty System has provided the foundation for peaceful, harmonious and effective governance. There are, however, new anxieties about the frozen continent and the Southern Ocean. Antarctica already feels the effects of climate change and ocean acidification. Claimant states assert rights to the Antarctic continental shelf and interest in Antarctic resources grows. Tourism brings new environmental and safety risks. China and other powers are increasing their activities, with some questioning the consensus of the 'Antarctic club'. Security concerns are increasingly discussed, despite Antarctica's dedication to peaceful purposes. This book brings together the main primary international materials concerning the regulation and governance of Antarctica, including multilateral and bilateral treaties, United Nations materials, 'soft laws' and judicial decisions. It covers the spectrum of Antarctic issues from environmental protection to scientific cooperation to tourism. As it shows, Antarctic law has constantly adapted to meet new challenges and is a sophisticated, inclusive, dynamic and responsive regime.

The volume is the result of an on-going research project on the Antarctic regime being carried out in various Italian universities and open to the participation of scholars and experts from different countries. Two concomitant factors led to the undertaking of the project: the increasing interest aroused by Antarctica in the scientific community, and the dynamic evolution of the Antarctic question in international law and politics. The result is something different from simply a second edition of a previous book, as it was clear that certain topics required entirely new treatment, especially environmental protection, liability, and institutional development. The editors tried to carefully co-ordinate the 21 individual contributions so as to properly cover the whole range of topics while at the same time preserving the pluralistic character of the book.

This book provides an invaluable up-to-date survey of the legal framework for Antarctic activities, written by an author with direct practical experience of the Antarctic Treaty system. Reflecting the increase of activity in the area, the work examines the basic Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and the subsequent major additional treaties and regulatory measures to provide a clear and authoritative picture of the Antarctic legal system as a whole. The author demonstrates how these legal arrangements make an important contribution to international law generally notwithstanding the unique characteristics that set Antarctica apart.

Antarctica is the last, most inhospitable frontier on earth, yet it presents a great number of unresolved conflicts between nations, individuals, environmentalists, scientists and business groups. The International Law of Antarctica addresses the crucial question of how international law can respond to claims that will certainly shape tomorrow's Antarctica. The author adopts a policy-oriented approach and focuses on the primary issue of determining the effective norms by which the process of value shaping and sharing develops in Antarctica, and to what extent such norms satisfy the prevailing aspirations of the world community. Where discrepancies are significant policies are proposed that may better meet such aspirations, as well as methods for their implementation. Part I of this study describes the social, power, and legal processes relating to Antarctica; reviews the geographic, technological, economic, and historical context in which these processes evolve, and how their special features affect such processes; and finally postulates the basic community policies with reference to which the process of claims and decisions in Antarctica are analyzed. Part II focuses on national claims to Antarctica by reviewing claims relating to the modes to establish exclusive appropriation of the area. Part III is a detailed examination of specific claims to Antarctica resources: claims to mineral and living resources, and claims relating to space-extension resources, namely, Antarctica sea and air space. It is concluded by an appraisal of the congruence of the existing order of Antarctica with the postulated basic policies, critically reviewing proposals for a new order, and advancing long-term and more immediate alternatives.

Antarctica is the last, most inhospitable frontier on earth, yet it presents a great number of unresolved conflicts between nations, individuals, environmentalists, scientists and business groups. The International Law of Antarctica addresses the crucial question of how international law can respond to claims that will certainly shape tomorrow's Antarctica. The author adopts a policy-oriented approach and focuses on the primary issue of determining the effective norms by which the process of value shaping and sharing develops in Antarctica, and to what extent such norms satisfy the prevailing aspirations of the world community. Where discrepancies are significant policies are proposed that may better meet such aspirations, as well as methods for their implementation. Part I of this study describes the social, power, and legal processes relating to Antarctica; reviews the geographic, technological, economic, and historical context in which these processes evolve, and how their special features affect such processes; and finally postulates the basic community policies with reference to which the process of claims and decisions in Antarctica are analyzed. Part II focuses on national claims to Antarctica by reviewing claims relating to the modes to establish exclusive appropriation of the area. Part III is a detailed examination of specific claims to Antarctica resources: claims to mineral and living resources, and claims relating to space-extension resources, namely, Antarctica sea and air space. It is concluded by an appraisal of the congruence of the existing order of Antarctica with the postulated basic policies, critically reviewing proposals for a new order, and advancing long-term and more immediate alternatives.

This survey of maritime law as it applies to the Antarctic continent and surrounding seas, includes biogeography, sovereignty, offshore jurisdiction, the continental shelf, environmental protection and conservation, and the legal status of ice shelves, sea ice, icebergs and ice islands.

All categories of published literature affecting national claims.