16-17 June: Reports, reports - le Grand Final

Greger Widgren, Head of the Swedish delegation, is satisfied with the result of the two-week conference.
"After 13 years of negotiations, we have finally achieved results on the liability issue and I think that many will breathe a sigh of relief. This question has dominated the agenda for a long time and been the most important issue for Sweden at this conference. But the Committee for Environmental Protection has also been successful in its negotiations. Long-term issues have been identified for the future."

Tourism and biological prospecting are also two issues that have been on the agenda at ATCM 2005 but have perhaps been overshadowed by successes in the areas of liability and environment.
"Tourism has not been a high-priority issue for Sweden. Agreement has been reached on rules for how to land in Antarctica - in order not to damage sensitive nature and frighten penguins, for example," says Greger.

"Biological prospecting is a difficult legal issue. It is an important matter for the future and it is a good thing that we have it on the agenda. In the future it is possible that it will be as dominant as the liability issue has been," says Greger Widgren.

So the conference has been a success both in terms of the results achieved and in logistical and practical terms. But Greger Widgren also points to some difficulties.
"There is beginning to be so much paper to keep track of! Everything has to be translated into four languages and that is very resource-consuming. Managing this in the future will probably be something for the Brits to look at in their coming chairmanship." It is the United Kingdom that is taking over now and Greger Widgren thinks that handing over to them feels easy.
"They were among the first in Antarctica, they have lively research activity and are well-prepared," says Greger.

The United Kingdom takes over the baton

Folke Löfgren and Paul Davies, the present and future Secretary General of ATCM

"The biggest difference at next year's meeting will be that we will not be discussing the question of liability any more," says Paul Davies, Secretary General for next year's ATCM, which will be held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre in Scotland. In other respects he hopes it will be much the same as usual, as all ATCMs follow a special format. However, he does see a challenge in repeating the success of the Stockholm meeting.

"It's not just that the liability issue was solved here and that Stockholm is a fantastic city. I really think that the organisers have been successful with all the logistics and all the peripheral activities, too," comments Paul Davies, who has attended the whole of the conference to study the organisation and arrangements.

According to Paul Davies it is still to early to predict what issue will be given most attention at next year's meeting.
"But it is perfectly clear that the social programme will have a Scottish flavour," concludes Paul Davies.

Robert Culshaw of the UK delegation will probably have a leading role in the coming UK chairmanship. He also sees liability as the thing that the Stockholm ATCM will be remembered for.
"In our chairmanship we want to continue building on the good work that has been achieved here."

The next stage for the UK will be to start practical work, to find the right premises, to draft a budget and to recruit staff. He does not want to point to any issues on the agenda for the next conference.
"It is too early to say. But both work on the environmental side and issues concerning tourism and biological prospecting will continue next year."

Robert Culshaw concludes by reflecting on Antarctica and the word unique.
"We often say that something is unique. But Antarctica is something that really is unique and we have to manage it in the right way."

The rapporteurs can relax

Rebecka Sandelin and Antonia Hjort have worked as rapporteurs at the conference. They describe the work as hectic, fun and interesting. But what does a rapporteur actually do?

"We listen to everything and try to write down every word that is said. You have to focus on really trying to pick up everything," they say.

Both Rebecka and Antonia emphasise that it is particularly interesting to see how world decisions come about in practice. It is their work that forms the basis for the final report to be adopted by the conference. They outline the work process in four steps:

1. The rapporteurs write down everything that is said and give this complete background material to the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat.
2. The Secretariat sifts through this information and produces a report that includes the most important points.
3. The report goes back to the conference groups for adjustment and additions from the various delegations.
4. The final report is adopted by the conference by the Chair asking the final plenum to approve it.

They have processed a steady stream of words and worked late on several evenings during the two weeks that the conference has been in progress. But Rebecka and Antonia do not doubt for a second that they would like to act as rapporteurs again.
"Yes, definitely!"

Polish Monika likes to remember Shackleton

Monika Ekler of the Polish delegation is at her fifth ATCM.

Monika Ekler is a lawyer at the Polish Foreign Ministry and an expert on international agreements. She helped to organise the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) that was held in Warsaw two years ago.

"This is my fifth ATCM and it is just as good as the one in Warsaw," she says and laughs. She thinks that sunny Stockholm has been good at selling itself to delegates. One aspect of holding ATCMs that she does not think you need make any secret of.

What's special about ATCMs is that they follow a given format and that so many delegates come back to their working groups year after year.
"This makes for a bit of a special atmosphere," thinks Monika. Even though Poland does not have any special "allies." On the other hand, there are special geographical groupings, according to Monika, such as New Zealand and Australia and some countries in South America -Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

When asked what she will remember from Stockholm she replies:
"Apart from our success in agreeing on liability I think I will remember the film show at the Swedish Museum of Natural History best. Seeing the film about Shackleton was really an experience. Perhaps for me especially, as unfortunately I have never been to Antarctica myself."

The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007/2008 will move the Poles to the centre

The first International Polar Year was held in 1882-83. 12 countries took part and a total of 15 expeditions were carried out - 2 to Antarctica and 13 to the Arctic. One important result was that a foundation was laid for continued cooperation on polar research. This tradition is now going to be celebrated again and will, hopefully, advance further when the Third International Polar Year is celebrated in 2007.

This time 27 countries are taking apart - largely the same countries as participate in Antarctic cooperation.

"The main aim is to highlight polar research and increase understanding of the sensitive environment in the Arctic and Antarctica. In addition, as the border for the Arctic area is the 60th parallel of latitude, there will also be focus on indigenous peoples," says Eva Grönlund of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

Every country is planning its own activities, but they are being coordinated by a secretariat in Cambridge in England. The co-sponsors of IPY are the ICSU (International Council for Science) and the WMO (World Meteorological Organisation). Sweden has a national coordinator at the Swedish Research Council. See the link to the Official International Polar Year (IPY) website under external links.