Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Antarctic Treaty System and Beyond: Global Science Diplomacy in Action

This CLE program offered as part of the ABA Annual Meeting (registration for individual programs is available) may also be titled "Antarctica – What Does the Future Hold?" will be held on Thursday July 30, 2009 3:45 – 5:15 pm at Columbus Hall AB, Gold Level, East Tower Hyatt Regency Chicago, IL.

The program description is:

Antarctica - a cold, forbidding place with no indigenous or permanent residents - is a continent without formal nation-state governance as we typically think of it. Yet seven countries assert claims, some overlapping, to parts of the continent. The Antarctic Treaty System (“ATS”), a series of treaties and other binding rules, is the only “regulatory” system in place attempting to deal with the governance of the continent and to prevent the misuse of Antarctica for strategic or resource purposes.


With the increasing global demand for a diminishing pool of resources, the question of the optimal governance system for Antarctica presents an interesting launch point for this engaging discussion of law, science, and diplomacy. Specifically, panelists will explore the viability of the ATS and discuss alternatives to provide better environmental protection for the continent.

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