Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, also known as the Antarctic-Environmental Protocol is part of the Antarctic Treaty System. It provides for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems.

It opened for signature on October 4 1991 and entered into force seven years later on January 14 1998.

It has been ratified by 27 parties - Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay

A further 16 - Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine - have signed but not yet ratified it.