At the end of May and under the auspices of India, the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-46) and the 26th Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP-26) met at Kochi, Kerala with the participation of 404 delegates, of which 328 in person and 76 virtually. The Parties emphasized the importance of education and outreach activities as an essential element of cooperation enshrined in the Antarctic Treaty and the Environmental Protocol. A significant outcome was the adoption of a decision on development of an ambitious, comprehensive, flexible and dynamic framework for regulating tourism and non-governmental activities in Antarctica.
India's Ministry of Earth Sciences through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), organized the event, and the SCAR lecture was delivered by Dr. Sheeba Chenoli, who highlighted the tele-connections between tropical regions and Antarctic region. Key discussions at the ATCM included the operation of the Antarctic Treaty System, liability, biological prospecting, exchange of information, education issues, multi-year strategic work plan, safety, inspections, science issues, future science challenges, scientific cooperation, climate change implications, but particularly tourism management.
The CEP meeting addressed a range of issues and contributed to the implementation of the Environmental Protocol in Antarctica. The Committee agreed to prioritize further work on: the management implications of sea ice change; enhancing .
