Finland’s activities in Antarctica – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Finland is one of five countries involved in decision-making in the Arctic and Antarctic. Finland’s goal in Antarctica is to protect the region’s unique ecology and, given changing conditions, to keep Antarctica as free as possible from political tensions. In the summer of 2023, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) will be held in Finland for the first time.

The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 (FördrS 31/1984) is part of the international treaty system. The essence of the treaty is that Antarctica should be devoted to peaceful research. The treaty froze all territorial claims made and prohibited all military activities in Antarctica. The treaty also prohibits nuclear explosions and bringing nuclear materials to Antarctica.

The Antarctic Treaty was supplemented by an Additional Protocol on Environmental Protection in Madrid in 1991. The protocol prohibits, among other things, the extraction of minerals for purposes other than research. The treaty currently has 29 full members, including observer members, the total number of participating countries is 55. According to the treaty, research can be carried out in Antarctica, and all UN member states can join the treaty.

Finland joined the treaty in 1984. However, accession does not give any country the right to participate in decision-making on the continent, but the status of advisory party It requires a lot of research activity. Finland was admitted as a full member in 1989.

The research station in Finland, Aboa, conducts research on, among other things, the behavior of ice, the composition of the upper atmosphere, and the dispersal of aerosols. Since the research station was built, Finnish expeditions to Antarctica have been conducted regularly.

FINNARP Antarctic Operations, located at the Institute of Meteorology, is responsible for Finnish research cruises to Antarctica and the Apua Research Station.

Research in Antarctica is funded mainly by Finland Academy(Link to another website.), which organizes an application round for multi-year research projects every four years. For example, Finnish expeditions have conducted meteorological, geological, and geophysical research as well as research on glaciers and sea ice. Finland’s goal is to conduct Antarctic research primarily in areas of scientific interest and where we have high-level expertise. The intention is also to combine these investigations with issues that apply to the Nordic regions and the research surrounding these issues.

Finland cooperates with other countries on Antarctic research and related logistics. Finnish projects have participated in larger international programs and Finnish researchers have also worked on research stations in several different states. The meteorological institutes of Finland and Argentina, for example, began a collaboration in 1987 to investigate the thinning of the ozone layer. The collaboration also included continuous ozone measurements at Argentina’s Marambio research station in Antarctica.

Finland has a special arctic experience

Finland wanted to join the Antarctic Treaty to uphold the agreement, which would ensure peaceful development on the continent and protect it from military activity. It was also considered that Finland had significant experience with cold climates and shipping in the polar regions.

Finland’s goal in Antarctica is to protect the region’s unique ecology and, given changing conditions, to keep Antarctica as free as possible from political tensions. Finland is one of five countries involved in decision-making in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Geopolitical interest in Antarctica has increased in recent years. The biggest challenges in Antarctica relate to the global effects of climate change, especially as the ice caps melt. Tourism and the risk of spreading invasive species have also increased.

Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty(Link to another website.) (Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty) in Buenos Aires.

Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Helsinki

Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, ATCM) for the first time in Finland 29.5-8.6.2023. The 2020 meeting in Helsinki had to be canceled due to the covid-19 pandemic, while the 2021 meeting in Paris was roughly arranged. After the meeting in Finland, the next consultative meetings will be arranged in India in 2024 and Italy in 2025. Nearly 400 experts from Antarctica will participate in the meeting, which will last for about two weeks.

Finland goal It is to support the activities of the Multilateral Treaty in the most constructive spirit possible and to provide links and interdependence between the polar regions, especially in light of the effects of climate change. At the Helsinki Consultation, a themed day will be organized focusing on climate change and the host country’s special meeting on the implementation of the IMO’s Polar Law, which aims to ensure safe and sustainable maritime traffic in the sea areas around both poles. First time.

Furthermore, Finland aims to highlight the diverse Finnish Arctic experience with regard to the meeting.