With the support of Embassy of Ukraine in India, the Ukrainian delegation from National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine takes part in the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the 26th meeting of its main working body - the Committee for Environmental Protection (Kochi, Kerala, May 20-30, 2024).
The event is attended by almost 400 delegates from 56 countries, including Ukraine.
Within the framework of the meetings, the representatives of
Ukraine will inform on the scientific, logistical and nature protection measures implemented in the Ukrainian Antarctic research station - Vernadsky Research Base over the past year, and will conduct negotiations on the expansion of bilateral cooperation.
The Ukrainian delegation will also inform other participants on the main challenges faced by the national Antarctic program in the face of a full-scale Russian military invasion as well as conduct multilateral consultations with the delegations of Ukraine's partner countries regarding countering Russian aggression.
Agenda of the meeting includes discussions on the following issues:
- ensuring the implementation of the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty and the Protocol on the Protection of the Antarctic Environment by all member states;
- expansion of international cooperation in the Antarctic in the field of research and safety of transport and logistics operations;
- ways of responding to the intensification of maritime tourism in the Antarctic, which occurred after the end of the coronavirus pandemic. The parties decided to launch a special Working Group to develop a strategic framework for the regulation of Antarctic tourism;
- actions to be taken in connection with the alarming conclusions of scientists about the record low level of sea ice in the Antarctic and the increasing impact of shrinking ice shelves on rising ocean levels. Ukraine informed that last year the water area near Ukrainian Antarctic research station was not covered with ice at all. This has caused problems for Antarctic fauna, particularly affecting the breeding success of Weddell seals;
- ways to stop the spread of bird flu (avian influenza) in the Antarctic, which killed thousands of penguins. Fortunately, such cases have not yet been recorded at the Ukrainian Antarctic research station.