Thirty counties sign Madrid Declaration on Antarctica

Thirty counties sign Madrid Declaration on Antarctica

Image: La Moncloa

Thirty countries have signed the Madrid Declaration on protecting Antarctica.

The declaration urges the international community to undertake new initiatives to conserve biodiversity and curb the impact of human activity in sensitive areas of the southern ocean. Known as the Madrid Declaration, the signatories were approved during a high-level session inaugurated by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on October 4.

“Now, when climate change shows its most adverse effects in the polar areas, it is essential to continue advancing in the preservation of these ecosystems with the necessary measures to guarantee their survival. Spain – it’s affirmed – will always be at the forefront of this multilateral effort, guided by evidence and scientific rigor,” Sanchez said.

The Madrid Declaration states: “Antarctica is a natural reserve devoted to peace and science, where measures of a military nature are prohibited, and military personnel and equipment may be used only for scientific research or other peaceful purposes.”

“Given our concern for the profound and often irreversible impacts of climate change, we stress the need to work in an active and coordinated manner to undertake initiatives intended to mitigate and adapt, in order to lessen the effects of climate change and the impacts of human activities, occurring in Antarctica and surrounding waters within the Convention area,” it adds.


Thank you for taking the time to read this article, please remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Deirdre Tynan

Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.

Comments