Environmental Evaluations for Proposed Activities in Antarctica

Background

Any person proposing to carry out any activity in Antarctica must prepare an environmental impact assessment. Recent Initial Environmental Evaluations (IEEs) and Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations (CEEs) received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding proposed Antarctic activities are listed below.

 

Initial Environmental Evaluations (IEEs)

An IEE describes an activity's purpose, location, duration and intensity, and considers alternatives and assesses impacts, including cumulative impacts, in the light of existing and known planned activities.

 

Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations (CEEs)

For a proposed activity likely to have more than a minor or transitory effect on the Antarctic environment, a CEE must be prepared. A CEE must include the above descriptions of the activity as required for an IEE, and must also include the matters listed in Article 3(2) of the Protocol on Environmental Protection [external link], such as a description of the initial environmental reference state with which predicted changes are to be compared and a prediction of the future environmental reference state in the absence of the proposed activity.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of any IEEs or CEEs (if listed below) please contact the Antarctic Policy Unit.

 

Initial Environmental Evaluations Received

MV ORION 2009/2010

Two Antarctic voyages by MV ORION - 27 December 2009 - 14 January 2010 and 14 January - 3 February 2010.

Voyage 1: Mawson's Antarctica - Depart Bluff December 27, 2009 for Snares and Auckland Islands then to Macquarie Island arriving December 3, heading south to Commonwealth Bay area arriving on January 5 visiting Cape Denison, Port Matin, Cape Jules and Dumont d'Urville before heading north to Hobart arriving January 14 2010.

Voyage 2: Scott and Shackleton's Antarctica - Depart Hobart January 14, 2010 for Macquarie Island then to Cape Adare and four days throughout the Ross Sea including Cae Hallett, Terra Nova Bay, Cape Evans, Cape Royds, Franklin Island and then north to Campbell Island, The Snares arriving in Bluff February 3.

The primary purpose of these voyages is to provide a unique interactive/educational Antarctic experience to a group of tourists in an environmentally sensitive way, such that its net impact on the total Antarctic environment will be less than minor or transitory.

Deadline for comments 4 December 2009.